Canada grounds Snowbirds jets until 2030s

Canada said on May 19 that the Snowbirds will fly one final season in their CT-114 Tutor jets in 2026 before the fleet is retired and the team pauses operations until replacement aircraft are ready. The Department of National Defence said the Royal Canadian Air Force will procure the CT-157 Siskin II, a version of the Pilatus PC-21, for the future demonstration team. The government said the new capability is expected to be operational in the early 2030s and remain based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. ### So are the Snowbirds grounded right now? No. The Defence Department said 2026 “will mark the final season” for the CT-114 Tutor fleet, which means the Snowbirds are not stopping immediately on May 19. The team is set to complete a final flying season in 2026 before the pause begins after that season ends. (canada.ca) That distinction matters because early social posts and headlines made the move sound immediate. Ottawa’s own release says the grounding comes during the onboarding period for the new aircraft, after the Tutor fleet’s final season next year. (canada.ca) ### Which aircraft is being retired, and why now? The aircraft being retired is the Canadair CT-114 Tutor, which first entered Royal Canadian Air Force service in 1963. The Snowbirds have used the jet as their signature aircraft since 1971, and the government said 2026 will end more than 55 years of air demonstration flying by that fleet. (canada.ca) CBC reported that the Tutors have been in the air force inventory since the 1960s and that former defence minister Bill Blair had ordered reviews of aging military equipment, including the Snowbirds fleet, because it had become difficult and costly to maintain. CBC also reported the jets had already received life extensions and upgrades in recent years. (canada.ca) ### What is replacing the Tutor? The replacement aircraft is the CT-157 Siskin II, which the government identified as the future Snowbirds platform. Ottawa said the aircraft will serve both as a training aircraft and as an air demonstration aircraft. (cbc.ca) CBC reported the Siskin II is a Swiss-made turboprop already being delivered for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s initial pilot training program, and that the plan is to add extra aircraft to an existing order. ### Why is there a gap until the early 2030s? The gap exists because Canada is not moving directly from the Tutor to an already fielded Snowbirds fleet. (canada.ca) The government said the new demonstration capability is expected to be operational only in the early 2030s, leaving a transition period while the aircraft are procured and onboarded. (cbc.ca) Defence Minister David McGuinty said in the government release that Ottawa remained committed to a future air demonstration capability, while CBC reported the air force expects the re-formed team to return only once the replacement aircraft are available. (canada.ca) ### What happens to air shows and Moose Jaw in the meantime? 15 Wing Moose Jaw will remain the base for the future Snowbirds capability, the government said. Ottawa also said that during the transition, the Royal Canadian Air Force will continue supporting air shows, events and community engagements across Canada with other aircraft and personnel. (canada.ca) McGuinty made the announcement at 15 Wing Moose Jaw alongside Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The next concrete milestone is the Snowbirds’ 2026 farewell season in the Tutor, after which the transition to the CT-157 Siskin II begins. (canada.ca)