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Snowbirds appearance up in the air |
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Written by Ric Swihart Lethbridge Herald
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Monday, June 15 2009, 9:56 PM |
Canada’s world-famous flying Snowbirds have been grounded but local air show organizers are keeping their fingers crossed they’ll be cleared for flight in time for their July show here.
“We feel there is a lot of time before our air show to fix the problem,” said Kathy Wallocha, president of the Alberta International Air Show, scheduled for the County of Lethbridge airport July 25-26.
The acrobatic flying team has been grounded due to a technical problem with the ejection seat system.
The air force said it’s putting all 25 of its Tutor jets on “operational pause” after a problem was found prior to a practice flight at the Bagotville International Air Show in Bagotville, Quebec over the weekend.
The Department of National Defence said in a news release that the problem is with the Ballistic Disconnect Link Assembly and is unrelated to false-lock issues previously experienced with the Tutor lap belt. The link assembly is designed to come apart automatically during an ejection.
In May 2007, Capt. Shawn McCaughey died after the seatbelt in his Tutor came unbuckled during a roll, causing him to fall out of his seat and lose control of the jet during an air show practice in Montana.
Wallocha said the Snowbirds are always a big attraction.
“We have already sold quite a few tickets for the Saturday performance with people anticipating the Snowbirds,” she said.
Should the Snowbirds’ technical woes force them out of their appearance here, however, Wallocha said visitors will still see a fantastic show.
“We won’t worry if we don’t have the Snowbirds,” she said.
Among the acts are two Soviet-made, MIG jets, an F18, F86 Sabre and a Tutor jet like the Snowbirds fly with a special paint job to recognize 100 years of power flight.
For ticket information go to www.albertaairshow.com.
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Last Updated ( Monday, August 10 2009, 2:29 PM )
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