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ISSUE
90 - November 2009
Over 8,000 Total Ads Listed
1,000+ NEW Ads Per Week
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The
Biggest Little Airshow in Canada |
By Kevin Moore, Contributing
Editor & Photographer
Roslin, Ontario, Canada |
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Always popular at any airshow in Canada are
the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, seen here with the Canadian
Forces Centennial of Flight CF-18 Hornet (far left) lined up
on the tarmac before the show. |
It is known as the “biggest
little airshow in Canada” and the Brantford Airshow
stands up to its reputation. Brantford is a relatively small
community with a municipal airport that hosts a flying school,
an small assortment of aviation related businesses and a
set of hangars housing a couple of dozen private aircraft.
For the most part, it looks like, and is, a typical small
town airport anywhere in Canada, or the USA for that matter,
but the heart of the people involved in it, and more importantly,
the airshow that the community hosts is, bar none, exceptional. |
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Canadian Warplane
Heritage brought several aircraft, including their B-25 Mitchell,
left, and the Avro Lancaster, right. |
Fly in to Brantford and you land on
nicely maintained 5000’ or 2600’ tarmac runways
with wide taxiways and a large ramp area. There’s a
modest flying club with a small cafeteria, a great place
for a breakfast or lunch fly-in. Tie-downs are available
and a ride to town can always be found or is just a short
taxi ride away. Not the busiest place to fly into, but then,
there’s nothing wrong with that. |
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CWH RCAF Expeditor,
left, and Dakota, right, landing before the start of the airshow. |
However, during airshow week, there
comes the sound of supersonic jet, radial and inline engines.
The skies over Brantford become quite a bit busier with fighter
jets, World War II and vintage aircraft, and biplanes all
making their way to the airport. Some fly in early for practice
day and others on the morning of airshow but they all come
for the same reason…. The airshow!
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Centennial of Flight
CF-18 Demonstration Hornet performing a flypast, left. Pilot
of the Centennial of Flight Hornet, Tim “Donor” Woods,
waves to the crowd after completing his demonstration, right. |
The 2009 show saw a popular sight
in Canadian skies this summer with the appearance of the
Centennial of Flight aircraft which includes the Canadian
Airforce Centennial CF-18 Hornet, Vintage Wings of Canada
F-86 Golden Hawks, Hawk One Sabre, and the Canadian Airforce
Golden Centennaires Tutor. Joining these 3 aircraft on the
tarmac was a replica of the Silver Dart, the first powered
airplane that flew in Canada. |
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CWH Fairey Firefly
takes off to join in the vintage aircraft flypast, left. The
CWH Lysander just before touch-down, right. |
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
brought several of their aircraft in for the show including
the always popular Avro Lancaster as well as the Canucks
Unlimited Dakota, RCAF Expeditor (Beech 18), the Fairey Firefly,
the Fleet Finch and Cornell, and their newest flying addition,
the Canadian Car and Foundry Lysander. |
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The Canadian Forces
Skyhawks Parachute Demonstration Team opened the show carrying
the Canadian flag, left, and the US flag, right. |
Opening the show were the Canadian
Forces Parachute team, the Skyhawks, who always put on a
good demonstration. Also visiting the show was a Fouga CM
170-VI, three CHAA (Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association)
Harvard aircraft which performed their wonderful aerial ballet
for the crowds, and locally owned and flown L-29 Delphin.
A nice addition to the show were two T-28 Trojans, Manfred
Radius in his sailplane, Rick Volker performing aerobatics
in his Sukhoi SU-26M along with pilot Mike Guolian in the
Castrol Extra 330, and rounding out the show, the Canadian
Forces Snowbirds. |
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CHAA Harvards landing
before the show, left. Mike Goulian in his Castrol Extra 330
performed a high G aerobatic performance for the crowd, right. |
There were many other things to see
at the show including the EAA, Haldimand Rifles, and Aircraft
Spruce to name a few. The Jet Aircraft Museum – The
T-33 Group of Canada out of London, Ontario which now has
6 former RCAF/Canadian Forces T-33’s in London undergoing
restoration in hopes of bringing them to full flying condition.
The Brantford Royal Canadian Air Cadet 104 Squadron and Sea
Cadet Corps provided support for the show assisting with
traffic and bringing water to volunteers. There were many
other folks supporting the show including dozens of volunteers
who, without them, the show probably wouldn’t happen
and most certainly would not be as successful as it is.. |
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The Jet Aircraft
Museum brought their trailer showing off one of their T-birds
on the back. They also brough lots of hats, t-shirts and information
in an attempt to win interest and members, left. With an estimated
35,000 people in attendance, the Brantford Airshow certainly
attracted lots of attention, right. |
Crowds were plentiful with more than
35,000 people in attendance for the one-day show, a testament
to the quality of the airshow that is offered. Spectators
had lots to see and do, and plenty to eat with lots of vendors
selling things from water to Coke and burgers to popcorn.
Young and old, airplane fans and pilots, all watched the
show take place in beautiful blue September skies and they
were not disappointed. The show went off without a hitch,
as always, and I’m sure they’ll all look forward
to the 2010 biggest little airshow in Canada.
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Those who stuck
around after the show had the opportunity to see the Centennial
of Flight CF-18 up close and personal, including young David
Burtenshaw from Burlington, Ontario, left. As the sun set over
the Brantford skies, airplanes departed for home, including
the CWH Fairy Firefly. |
As the sun set on a long but excellent
airshow day, those who hung around and waited for crowds
and traffic to disperse were given an opportunity to see
the Centennial of Flight CF-18 Hornet close-up with pilot
Tim “Donor” Woods signing autographs. They were
also treated to a wonderful sunset to end the day, with many
visiting aircraft departing for home until they once again
return to the skies over Brantford. |
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Two visiting airplanes
that performed in the show were these T-28 Trojans. |
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The Vintage Wings
of Canada Centennial of Flight, Golden Hawks F-86 Sabre, Hawk
One, impressed the crowd, left. The Canadian Forces Snowbirds
Aerobatic Display Team is always a crowd favourite, right. |
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Locally owned and
flown, L-29 Delphin performed several high-speed passes for
the airshow crowd, left. As the sun set, the CWH Avro Lancaster
departed the Brantford airport for home, right. |
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What better way to end the day than to listen
to the awesome sound of 4 Rolls-Royce Merlin engines powering
the venerable Avro Lancaster into the quiet, orange evening
skies of Southern Ontario, heading for home. |
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