Snowbirds grounded after 2026 season, new planes incoming

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The top aerial acrobatics squadron in the Canadian military will be downed after 2026, according to a statement by the federal government.

On Tuesday, May 19th, national defence minister David McGuinty made a commitment to acquire future aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Forces (RCAF) demonstration team, the Snowbirds, according to a news release.

This means the CT-114 Tutor jet trainers, entered into service with the Snowbirds in 1971, will be decommissioned upon the conclusion of the 2026 season, which begins this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal.

This year’s 2026 Snowbird roster includes Fort St. John local, Captain Jerin Roberts, who will pilot plane 11, as revealed earlier this month.

The May 19th statement, also reveals the ministry’s commitment to purchasing CT-157 Siskin II models for future Snowbirds teams, ensuring Canada “continues its strong tradition of air demonstration capability with a modern fleet that will ultimately rebuild to the team’s distinctive nine-plane formation.”

“The RCAF is incredibly proud of the women and men who for decades have represented the Canadian Air Forces with pride at airshows across North America.”

The news comes upon the release of the Fort St. John International Air Show’s suspension, which will carry past 2027 while it develops its volunteer base.

Organizers of the air show said the team being unavailable for the foreseeable future adds “additional challenges” to getting the show back up and running for 2029, but will “schedule specifically” for the best chance to land the Snowbirds once they are back in flight.

The new Snowbird fleet is expected to be fully operational by the 2030s, according to the release.