The Snowbirds fly in formation over Nanaimo during a performance in 2018. (Facebook)

By Alex Rawnsley

SKY ROCKETS IN FLIGHT

Snowbirds to take over Nanaimo harbour for special show

Aug 14, 2019 | 2:07 AM

NANAIMO — The downtown harbour is used to its fair share of aircraft but none that can maneuver like a Snowbird.

Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron will grace the skies over downtown Nanaimo for a special show on Wednesday, Aug. 14 beginning around 6 p.m.

The team will bring the unique brand of flying and aerial acrobatics which made them a prime attraction across the country.

Capt. Scott Boyd flies Snowbird 4 and told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s a flight unlike any other.

“Flying with that many planes around you is incredible. I’m right in the middle of the formation so I have everyone flying around me at all times. We all have our job to do, we trust each other immensely.”

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The training and dedication to make the Snowbirds is immense. All pilots come to the team with years of experience as Canadian Forces pilots, before undergoing a string of tests and gruelling training regimes.

“They go through the tryout process and then a full year of training before going out on the road before putting shows on for the public.”

The training is so rigorous and specialized there’s no interchanging of positions.

“Everyone has their job and their position they’re used to flying, so we can’t swap between pilots depending on whether someone is sick.”

Boyd has flown with the Snowbirds since July 2018 on an adventure which has taken him to all corners of the continent.

“We started our season in Louisiana doing a few shows in the States, then coming up the east side with shows in Ontario and Quebec and one out in Nova Scotia. Since July (2019) we’ve been focusing on western Canada before we go back out to Ontario.”

Wednesday’s show will be feature the full performance the team puts on across North America.

An exclusion zone is set for boats on the harbour. Should any craft breach the zone, the show will be suspended temporarily.

A map showing the exclusion zone set for the Snowbirds performance on Aug. 14, 2019. (Nanaimo Harbour Authority)

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley