MOOSE JAW — The Snowbirds Air Demonstration Team has been temporarily grounded due to technical issues, which will prevent the popular aircraft from performing in upcoming shows and flypasts.
This means that shows scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, in Moncton, N.B., will be cancelled while technicians scramble to make repairs and have the team in the air for Canada Day in Ottawa.
In a news release, the Department of Defence said the problem relates to a device that sets the timing for the deployment of the parachute during the ejection sequence.
It said that during routine maintenance, technicians discovered the tool might not be calibrated accurately, so they would re-test and repack the parachutes to ensure proper timing for their activation if an emergency occurs.
It's not known how long it will take to fix the issue, but the department said the Royal Canadian Air Force is working with experts and a third-party aviation contractor to have the team in the air as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Defence Department added that air force experts have determined there is no link between the 2020 crash in Kamloops, B.C., that killed Capt. Jenn Casey — which occurred after a bird flew into an engine — and the current issue with the parachute device.
