Corporal Dustin Poirier, left, is part of the ground crew that ensures the Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets are in top shape for Capt. Brendan Pellow and the other pilots on the CF Snowbirds team. (News Bulletin)
High-speed excitement above Nanaimo Harbour
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will light up Nanaimo’s skies this week. The aerobatics team will perform two shows, flying just 2.5 metres apart at speeds near 550 kilometres per hour. Crowds will watch as their red-and-white jets weave through the sky in breathtaking formations.
Meet the hometown pilot
Captain Brendan Pellow, who grew up in Nanaimo and now lives in Sidney, feels proud to return home with the Snowbirds. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force 17 years ago after applying to be a pilot as a teenager.
“I was lucky enough to be selected as a pilot and do my pilot training,” he said.
Before joining the Snowbirds, Pellow trained new pilots in Saskatchewan. This summer marks his first season performing in front of Canadians.
“These aircraft and the people who support them and fly them are just Canadian icons,” he said. “The Snowbirds have been part of Canada for 55 years, and I hope they inspire Canadians for the next 55 years.”
Flying history in the air
The Snowbirds fly Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets, aircraft designed and built in Canada more than 60 years ago. Though they retired from training roles in 2000, the jets continue dazzling audiences at airshows.
Pellow explained the Tutors may be old, but regular maintenance keeps them in top shape. “We have excellent professional technicians who keep them flying as if they were brand new,” he said.
Life on the ground
Cpl. Dustin Poirier, an aircraft technician, described the hard work that keeps the jets safe. Each day begins with pre-flight checks and ends with long hours of inspection, refuelling, and repairs.
“The pilots like to over-stress the aircraft now and again, which makes us do a lot more work on the ground afterwards,” Poirier said with a laugh.
During a single 45-minute performance, each jet burns about 680 kilograms of fuel. Nanaimo Airport supplies the team with fuel, oxygen, and everything else needed to keep the planes in the air.
Weather calls the shots
The Snowbirds prepare different shows depending on cloud cover and visibility. They can fly a “high show,” a “low show,” or a “flat show” closer to the ground.
“We’ll be sitting here with bated breath waiting to do a show until that last minute before any cancellation is required,” Pellow said.
One of the keys to safety is keeping the horizon in sight. During their diamond formation, the jets fly only a few metres apart. Pellow’s aircraft often sits just eight feet from another plane’s tail.
Showtimes
The Snowbirds will perform over Nanaimo Harbour on Friday, Aug. 15, from 7 to 7:45 p.m. and again on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 4:15 to 5 p.m.
