Snowbirds perform flyover for Canada Day celebrations

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Snowbirds perform flyover for Canada Day celebrations

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Royal Canadian Air Force's "Snowbirds" | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Jul 3, 2025

For Canada Day, the Royal Canadian Air Force's "Snowbirds" aerial demonstration team performed a special flyover in Ottawa. The team flew its Canadair C-114 Tutors over the Parliament Building in tight formation to celebrate the nation's foundation day.

The Snowbirds are known for flying past historic sites in Canada's capital as part of holiday festivities. Their official social media accounts shared footage of the event.

The Snowbirds serve as ambassadors of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), with a mission to “embody the professionalism, skill and dedication that define CAF members.” Officially designated as the 431 Aerial Demonstration Squadron, they are based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan. Each year, they tour across Canada, the United States, and select international events performing flyovers and aerobatic shows.

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The team encourages fans to meet pilots and ground crew at shows to highlight opportunities within the CAF. They aim to display Canadian pride and goodwill internationally. The Snowbirds perform at 25 to 30 events annually.

In Ottawa, celebrations began at noon with a flyover scheduled for 4:00 PM, followed by an evening show at 8:00 PM, according to CTV reports. Before their performance, they posted on Facebook:

“From coast to coast, and high in the skies, we’re honoured to celebrate this incredible country with all of you. Today’s flypast over our nation’s capital was a proud salute to the True North strong and free! We hope our flight lit a spark of Canadian pride wherever you were watching. Stay safe, celebrate big, and keep your eyes on the skies! We will be over Parliament Hill at 4pm today to continue the celebration!”

The Snowbirds officially adopted their name in 1971 before becoming CAF's official aerial demonstration team in 1975. They reactivated as Squadron 431 in 1978 and have since performed globally for nearly six decades.

Squadron number 431 was initially assigned during World War II when it was formed as a bomber squadron under Commonwealth efforts. After disbanding post-war in 1945, it reemerged temporarily as a fighter squadron before Colonel O.B. Philp established it again using CT-114 Tutors from another aerobatic team.

Currently, RCAF flies Boeing CF-18 Hornets and has ordered Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters among other aircraft like C-17 Globemaster III transports and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Since its establishment in 1924, RCAF has participated in major military campaigns worldwide.