Tag Archives: Canada

The air show tour continues

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The calendar marches on and mid-August finds 3 more air shows on my to-do list.  Two I’m working and one is just to watch.

First on this list is the Waterloo Air Show that takes place August 20-21 at the Region of Waterloo International Airport outside of Toronto.  I’m working airside security at this one so there won’t be many photo opportunities but I’ll do my best to grab a few shots of what looks to be a fantastic group of performers and static displays including the Snowbirds and the CF-18 demonstration team.

Heavy Metal Jet Team Oshkosh 2011

The end of the month marks the unofficial end of Summer and in Toronto that means two things.  The end of the CNE and the Canadian International Air Show, better known as the CNE Air Show.  This will be my second year working in Boss Control on the Ontario Place island.  Absolute best seat in the house to see a fast paced over-water show from the likes of perennial favourites the Snowbirds to the V22 Osprey making its first appearance and the Heavy Metal Jet Team who put on a great show at Oshkosh.  Dates for this show are September 3rd, 4th and 5th.

September 16th marks probably what will be my last road trip of the year to watch airplanes.  Vintage Wings of Canada and the EAA Canada chapters come together for Wings over Gatineau, a one day event which promises to see the skies full of birds- military, private, old and new.  I’m a member of both groups but this one is strictly for pleasure and picture taking.  Gatineau is located just across the Quebec border from Ottawa.

The Canadian air show calendar might be more compressed than the US but there’s lots to see in that time.

Today in aviation history – September 16, 1914

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Burgess-Dunne

The Canadian Aviation Corps is authorized by the Minister of Militia and Defence to be formed. This is the beginning of Canada’s military air force.  The Corps consists of 2 pilots and a mechanic. The aircraft, a Burgess-Dunne, never sees military service and the Corps is disbanded a year later.

The CAC was:

Capt. E.L. Janney, Lt. W.F.N. Sharpe and Lt. H.A. Farr. 

Bjarni Tryggvason

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bjarniWorking at the Waterloo Air Show yesterday I had a chance to meet Bjarni Tryggvason, former Canadian astronaut and pilot of the replica Silver Dart that will be coming to the Canadian Air & Space Museum later this year.

Bjarni flew on the space shuttle STS-85 as a payload specialist from August 7-19, 1997 where he conducted fluid dynamics experiments designed to examine sensitivity to spacecraft vibrations.  He flew 4.7 million miles in 284 hours and 27 minutes.

This year, Tryggvason has been travelling quite a bit slower.  The Silver Dart replica has been flown 4 times.  In between, he’s been flying as part of the Harvard team and teaching at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

To Bjarni’s left is Rod Jones, a member of the museum’s Board.  We talked for a few minutes about the flying conditions and some ideas about how to coordinate all the events across Canada like the Waterloo show and our own Wings & Wheels.

Thanks to Bob Bourke, fellow volunteer, for taking the photo and sharing it with me.

Today in aviation history – August 27, 1959

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CH-46C Labrador

First flight of the Boeing Vertol CH-46C Labrador helicopter. 

This aircraft is a twin-engine, tandem-rotor search and rescue (SAR) helicopter used by the Canadian Forces from 1963 until 2004. It was a variant of the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight designed and built in the United States. A search and rescue version was purchased by the Royal Canadian Air Force in the early 1960s and became known as the Labrador. Soon after, the Canadian Army acquired a troop and cargo version known as the Voyageur. In the mid-1970s, these army machines were replaced by CH-147 Chinook heavy lift and transport helicopters and the Voyageurs were transferred to the air force when Air Command was formed in 1975. They joined the Labradors on search and rescue duties and all were modified to a common search and rescue standard.

Picture above was taken at the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa.  From their website :

Labrador #301, the first to enter service with the Canadian Forces and the last to retire, was delivered to the Canada Aviation Museum in July, 2004 and marked the retirement from active service of the illustrious Labrador fleet. Its place in Canada’s national aeronautical collection is a tribute to the men and women of the Search and Rescue community who risk their lives on a daily basis to save others.