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Defence Minister Sets May 19 Snowbirds Update After 2027 Grounding Warnings

Aging Tutor jets near retirement put air-show bookings in limbo.

Overview

  • Defence Minister David McGuinty said Thursday he will deliver a Snowbirds update on May 19 in Moose Jaw.
  • McGuinty told Canadians to rest assured about the team’s future and said performances continue only when the planes are safe to fly.
  • Conservative MP Fraser Tolmie says organizers are being told not to book the team for 2027 and warns the program could pause for years.
  • The government says it has begun examining replacement aircraft for the 1960s-era CT-114 Tutor fleet but has offered no timeline.
  • The Abbotsford International Airshow reports no official notice of a 2027 grounding and says next year’s schedule is typically set in December, leaving planners waiting.