DEATH IN THE SKY: A SNOWBIRD FALLS YV Introduction “All he wanted to know was where his This time they got too close. The Focus buddy was.” — Harold Ray, talking planes collided at the top of the loop. This News in Re- about surviving pilot Captain Chuck Mallet was thrown free of his plane. view story focuses on the December Mallet when he was found after the Selby was killed on impact. The debris 2004 air collision crash, quoted in “Aging planes not to from the planes was spread across two that resulted in the blame for crash, Snowbird says,” kilometres of cold prairie farmland. death of one of written by Dawn Walton, The Globe Who are these people, who risk their Canada’s Snowbird and Mail, December 13, 2004 lives in the dangerous pursuit of perfec- pilots. We also tion in the sky? Mallet and Selby are review the history of the Snowbirds The Snowbirds are a team. They’re a members of the Snowbirds, and they are and look behind family. And they’re friends. Captain Canada’s own. For more than 35 years, the scenes of the Chuck Mallet had just parachuted to the very best jet pilots of the Canadian famed squadron. safety after a mid-air two-plane crash Forces have performed as the 431 Air on December 10, 2004, and all he could Demonstration Squadron, otherwise do was plead for information about the known as the Snowbirds. Every year, Quote pilot of the other plane. the nine-pilot team demonstrates preci- “I heard them Mallet and his opposing solo, Captain sion flying skills for upward of three crash, looked up, saw the smoke Miles Selby, had been flying their Tutor million people. The squadron criss- from both planes, jets in the cold, clear prairie sky near crosses North America, giving as many watched it fall Mossbank, about 65 kilometres south of as 70 shows per season. When the down to the Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They were Snowbirds perform, they demonstrate ground, and saw practising a head-on, intersecting loop the professionalism, teamwork, and one pilot that had ejected. It was a manoeuvre, a stunt they had performed skill of the Canadian Forces. terrible thing to together countless times. It requires the The death of Selby focused the eyes watch.” — Jackie pilots to hurtle toward each other at 600 of the nation on the Snowbirds. People Geis, who saw the km/hr—close to the speed of sound. In began to ask questions. Are the perfor- accident from the this manoeuvre, they pass each other mances of the Snowbirds worth the risk top of a haystack and then fly up 800 metres. The planes of pilots’ lives? Are they worth the $10- on a farm outside Mossbank, quoted then fly upside down to pass each other million expense of maintaining the in “Snowbird pilot at the top of the loop, and finally de- program? Are the Tutor jets too old? dies in Saskatch- scend for another pass at the bottom of Can we afford to buy new jets? ewan crash,” the loop. They are supposed to leave 10 www.cbc.news.ca, metres between their planes. December 10, 2004 To Consider 1. Summarize the Snowbird accident that occurred in December 2004. YV Sections marked with this 2. Why have the Snowbirds been called a symbol of Canada? symbol indicate content suitable for 3. Have you ever seen the Snowbirds perform? What did you think? Did the younger viewers. show make you feel proud to be a Canadian? Explain. 4. When an air force pilot dies as a member of an aerobatic flying demon- stration team it is a terrible thing. When such a pilot dies in battle defend- ing his or her nation it is also a terrible thing. How are the two situations different? CBC News in Review • February 2005 • Page 45 DEATH IN THE SKY: A SNOWBIRD FALLS YV Video Review Part I Complete the 1. Who are the Snowbirds? ______________________________________________ questions in Part I of this exercise 2. What threatens their future? while reviewing the video. Every ques- tion in Part II requires a numeri- cal answer. An- 3. What happened in December 2004? swers to Part II are at the bottom of the page. Quote 4. How many Snowbird pilots have died in flying accidents in 35 years? _____ We have lost a pilot, an officer, a 5. Why do pilots hope the Snowbirds continue? fighter pilot, a teammate, a com- rade, a warrior, an opposing solo, a friend, a son, and a husband. The world and our hearts are emptier and colder. Part II: The Numbers We have lost 1. How many jets fly on the Snowbird team? ______ Snowbird eight.” — 2. How many kilometres per hour can the Snowbird jets travel? ______ Major Ian Mclean (Snowbird Com- 3. For how many years have the Snowbirds been flying? ______ mander), “Death in 4. About how many millions of people have watched the team perform? ______ the Sky: A Snowbird Falls” 5. How old was Captain Miles Selby when he crashed? ______ video, News in 6. How many planes were involved in the crash? ______ Review, February 7. How many other crashes have the Snowbirds experienced? ______ 2005 8. How many minutes did it take for military rescuers to appear? ______ 9. Within how many minutes did a local civilian ambulance pick up Captain Update As this issue of News Chuck Mallet? ______ in Review was being 10. How many millions of dollars does the Snowbird program cost the Cana- prepared, there was an ongoing investi- dian military? _____ gation of the tragic 11. How many Snowbird accidents have occurred in the past 15 years? ______ crash. Results will be known later in 2005. 12. Captain Miles Selby will always be remembered as the superb jet pilot Snowbird Number ______. 1-(9), 2-(600) 3-(35), 4-(116), 5-(31), 6-(2), 7-(9), 8-(46), 9-(18),10-(10), 11-(3), 12-(8) 11-(3), 9-(18),10-(10), 8-(46), 7-(9), 6-(2), 5-(31), 4-(116), 3-(35), 2-(600) 1-(9), Part II Answers II Part CBC News in Review • February 2005 • Page 46 DEATH IN THE SKY: A SNOWBIRD FALLS YV Snowbird History Have you ever been on an airplane? Korea (1950), the Suez (1956), and Did you know . Even if you haven’t, you have certainly Kosovo (2003). More Canadians benefited from air travel in Canada. own or fly aircraft • In the 1990 Gulf War, Canadians flew per capita than any Letters and courier packages from some 2 700 missions. other people in the distant places usually travel by air. world? Light goods are transported by air for Snowbird History sale to restaurants and stores. In many The Snowbirds have deep roots that places in the North, supplies arrive by began long before they acquired their Did you know . air, as do people such as doctors and name. Aerobatic flying started when the The Snowbirds nurses. The airplane is essential to First World War heroes of the skies have performed all transportation in Canada. over North returned after the war. People back America—from The home wanted to see the spectacular Pas, Manitoba, to Canadian Aviation History stunts their war heroes could perform. Fort Worth, Texas? In 1909, the Silver Dart flew for less • In 1929, a small group called the than a kilometre. It was the first flight Siskins performed demonstration At the Canadian in Canada. The airplane rapidly became flights for three years. They flew International Air more common. Show in Toronto, propeller planes. Ontario, the • About 22 000 Canadian volunteers • The Golden Hawks were formed in Snowbirds attract served in Britain’s Royal Flying Corps 1959 to commemorate the 50th anni- 750 000 spectators and Royal Naval Air Service in the versary of the Silver Dart, the first every year? In fact, First World War (before Canada had powered flight in Canada, and the since their creation an air force), starting in 1914. Canada in 1978 to the end 35th anniversary of the Royal Cana- had 152 war aces, including Billy of 2004, the dian Air Force. The team flew six Snowbirds have Bishop. F-86 Sabre jets before being dis- performed for over • Wilfrid “Wop” May was the legend- banded in 1963. 116 million specta- ary bush pilot who delivered the first tors! • Col. Owen Bartley Philp formed and life-saving cargo of vaccine to north- commanded the Golden Centennaires, ern Alberta in an open-cockpit Avro an air force aerobatic team for the Avian in 1929. He was a fearless pilot 1967 Centennial celebrations. who helped connect Canada’s north to the rest of the country. • He then formed the Snowbirds in 1970, using 18 repainted RCAF • By the 1930s, more freight was travel- training jets: the CT-114 Tutors that ling by air in Canada than in the rest are still in use today. of the world combined. • The volunteer formation-flying team • In the Second World War, which was based in CFB Moose Jaw, which began in 1939, Canadians volunteered is the air force’s training centre. The for both the British and the Royal pilots practised after their regular Canadian Air Forces (RCAF). Nearly work hours. 18 000 died while serving in the RCAF in Europe. • In July 1971, they held a contest at the base’s elementary school to name the • Canadians have flown planes to fulfil team. They chose “Snowbirds.” Canada’s peacekeeping duties in CBC News in Review • February 2005 • Page 47 • In 1974, the Snowbirds began per- their planes and have parachuted to the Further Research forming aerobatic stunts for the pub- ground.