So after much contemplation, debate, and deliberation, I decided to choose adventure over home.  Now granted, I didn’t really need much convincing when it came to heading over to the Saguenay region in the province of Quebec.  Beautiful scenery, tones of wildlife, and let’s just say that the poutine is…well, better than anywhere else in the world.

The show, which is held every second year at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, 3 Wing in Canada’s Air Force, is so popular that it draws people from not only Ontario (for me it was an 11 hour drive from Toronto), but also from the United States which share the southern border with Quebec. 

One could not ask for better weather for the 2 day event, which hosted one of the most impressive static displays in North America.  Along with a myriad number of CF-18’s, 3 Wings principal aircraft, were Syracuse ANG F-16 Falcons, Maryland ANG A-10 Warthogs, Alpha Jets flown by Top Aces, and of course a strong Canadian Forces contingent which consisted of a CC-130 Hercules, CP-140 Aurora, CT-142 “Gonzo” Dash 8, and a CC-150 Polaris along with a pair of CT-156 Harvard II trainers used by the NATO Flight Training Centre out of 15 Wing in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. 

Along with the above mentioned aircraft were a number of heavies that were able to attend the show as a result of their presence at CFB Cold Lake, home to Ex Maple Flag.  An E-3 Sentry from the United Kingdom, an E-8C JSTARS example, and a KC-135 Stratotanker were all present on the tarmac for all to get a very close look at.  There were also numerous civilian aircraft present, as well as a Canadair CL-415 Water Bomber which is utilized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife in the Province of Quebec for fire fighting.

Once the show got started, it was filled with non stop excitement.  On the acrobatic side of things the crowd was filled with ooh’s and ahh’s for Rob Holland’s performance, especially when he went head to head with the Indyboys and their rocket powered school bus.  The Indyboys also provided some fun moments with their jet powered outhouse, undoubtedly fuelled by a healthy diet of smoked beans with some real Canadian bacon.  Gary Rower also took the crowd back in time to a place where the stars were in our eyes and the moon was our goal with his Salute to NASA performance.  His aerobatic display in a beautifully restored 1942 Stearman left the crowd amazed as his large biplane carved beautiful turns through the sky.  Manfred Radius and his sailplane also showed the grace and beauty of silent flight to the crowd and in complete contrast to his flight, the audience on hand were deeply appreciative of his flight and applauded vociferously. 

Memories of the aircraft previously utilized by they Royal Canadian Air Force were brought to the forefront of peoples minds as the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Lancaster flew together with a P-51 Mustand and a Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, both operated by Vintage Wings of Canada.  The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association flew their yellow Harvard’s in perfect formation and showed the crowds the skills that were imparted to so many pilots many decades ago.

Of course, since the show took place at one of Canada’s CF-18 Hornet bases, the show came with the presence of thunder in a strong statement of air and ground superiority.  The CF-18 Mass Attack involved a simulated air field attack by 6 CF-18’s and 8 CF troops which were deployed by a pair of CH-146 Griffons, and the pyrotechnics aided in the realism of the display.  The Hornets then executed a touch and go sequence before returning to the runway and waving to cheering fans.  The USAF was represented by the F-16 Viper West team out of Hill AFB, and let’s just say they didn’t leave anything on the ground.  Every single pass was crisp and sharp, and only enhanced by the fact that the afterburner appeared on each and every pass.  Rounding out the military displays was this years CF-18 Hornet in a special paint scheme which celebrates the Centennial Anniversary of Powered Flight here in Canada.  Capt. Tim “Donor” Woods flew the demo perfectly, and one could feel the pride in the hearts of all those present at the skill which is evident in all the Canadian Hornet pilots who fly to keep our skies safe.

Also present were the Canadian Forces Skyhawks, the Canadian Forces Parachute Team who flies out of 8 Wing Trenton in southern Ontario.  World Air Show News was granted some behind the scenes access as the team prepared for their Sunday jump and the focus and concentration on all the faces of the members of the team was very much evident as they rigged their smoke canisters and double and triple checked their parachutes before taking to the skies to wow the crowds.  The candy cane and tri-by-side were only 2 of the amazing moves that this team pulls, and needless to say it’s always impressive to see them in action.

It should be noted that the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and Hawk One, a beautifully restored Sabre in the colours of the Golden Hawks, were present but during a pre flight check an issue with the Ballistic Disconnect Link Assembly was found and subsequently any aircraft which operated the same ejection seat were placed on an “Operational Pause”.  The Ballistic Disconnect Link Assembly is a portion of the lap belt system that is designed to automatically come apart during an ejection sequence.  As of this writing, the Operational Pause has been lifted and the Snowbirds were able to perform on Sunday at the Wings and Wheels Air Show in St. Thomas, Ontario.

Overall, this show is a huge success and plans for the next show are already underway.  Needless to say, I won’t be making any hesitation in booking time away to head to the beautiful Saguenay region of Quebec to take in what is becoming a crown jewel in Canada’s air show environment.