It Is Like Saying Goodbye to a Good Friend, and They Meant It

There are farewells that arrive with ceremony and fanfare, and there are farewells that arrive quietly, in the space between one season and the next. In Moose Jaw this week, the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds performed their final air show with the CT-114 Tutor jets—aircraft that have carried the team through fifty-five seasons, longer than any other aerial demonstration team has flown the same plane .

More than 500 Snowbirds alumni were expected to attend Friday's performance, traditionally known as The Home Closer, at 15 Wing Moose Jaw. The event was livestreamed on the RCAF's Facebook page at 2 p.m. ET . The Tutor, a 63-year-old aircraft, has earned its rest, said Lt-Col. Guillaume Paquet, commanding officer of 431 Squadron .

The decision to retire the Tutors came after planned upgrades to their engines and escape systems encountered problems, including parts obsolescence. Defence Minister David McGuinty announced in May that the team would be grounded after its 2026 season until replacement aircraft arrive . The Swiss-made CT-157 Siskin II has been chosen to replace the Tutor, with deliveries expected in the early 2030s .

For the pilots, the farewell carries personal weight. Maj. Maciej Hatta, team lead for the 2026 season, said the Tutor remains his favourite aircraft, even after flying about 30 different planes as a test pilot. "It's not lost on us the legacy of these jets, flying for 55 seasons with the Snowbirds," he said. "That's the longest I know of any aerial demonstration team keeping the same airplane" .

Capt. Philip Rochon, public affairs officer, described the emotion of the moment. "It's like saying goodbye to a good friend," he said. "At the same time, we're looking forward to the future with the new aircraft that was announced" . The team completed more than 55 shows in nearly 40 locations across Canada this season, along with close to 50 additional flybys .

The Snowbirds are not finished with the Tutor entirely. A final flyover is scheduled at the Grey Cup in Calgary on November 15 before the jets are sent to an airbase in Trenton, Ontario, for disposal . The team will then enter a multiyear hiatus, with pilots potentially serving with allied teams or instructing on the PC-21 in Moose Jaw while awaiting the new aircraft .

AI Image Disclaimer: The accompanying visual is AI-generated and does not depict the actual aircraft or events described.

Sources: CBC News, The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, CTV News, Regina Leader Post, Radio-Canada