UPDATE – 2:10 p.m. – It was an emotional return for the Canadian Forces Snowbirds as they flew over Kamloops just before 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.
The planes were refueling in the city before heading west from Calgary to CFB Comox for spring training until May 26 ahead of the summer airshow season which is set to get underway next month.
Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Gabriel Ferris, says its the first time the Snowbirds are back in Kamloops, eight months after the planes left the city, following a four month long operational pause.
“It was pretty much a last minute decision from the boss. We were supposed to go to Kelowna and he decided last minute, ‘hey lets go to Kamloops. Lets show them our appreciation. We didn’t fly there since September last year, and since the tragedy also in May last year,'” Ferris told NL News.
“It is hard for the team but I think its good for us. We want to show the population of Kamloops how we appreciate the support they gave us last year.”
Today’s brief stop and flyby also comes nearly one year to the date of the tragic May 17, 2020 crash that killed former Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Jenn Casey while injuring the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall.
“There’s been a lot of changes in the team but there are a lot of members that were there last year. You can see in their eyes and in their voice when they talk that its really emotional for them going back to Kamloops,” Ferris added.
“They do love the place, they do love the city and the people there. They always talk to me about how the population was super generous and super friendly with the team last year, but its still pretty hard for the team to be there.”
An investigation later concluded that Snowbird 11 lost power after a small bird was sucked into the engine shortly after take-off from Kamloops Airport last May.
“Certainly one of my darkest days as mayor was when we lost the Snowbird and we lost the life of Capt. Jennifer Casey but they will live to fly again,” Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian said in September.
Ferris says the legacy of Capt. Casey will be honoured by the Snowbirds during the 2021 season.
“So the first plane that came in to Kamloops, that was Snowbird 10. It is one of the coordinators. They’re the advance team just to set up everything,” he added. “We’re happy to come back to Kamloops. It is hard, but we’re happy to come back and see the population. We know you want to show your love and we really appreciate that.”
“We appreciate the enormous community support, especially leading up to the one year anniversary, but we do ask the population to adhere to provincial and federal health measures and not congregate at the airport to watch the planes land and takeoff.”
(Photo via @karnicholson on Twitter)
This just happened… one year later the Snowbirds are back in Kamloops! pic.twitter.com/a3qjLskre4
— K N (@karnicholson) May 4, 2021
Love having the @CFSnowbirds back in Kamloops! pic.twitter.com/X9rubkmUmK
— Donovan Willick (@DonovanWillick) May 4, 2021
Flyover pretty please 🙏 #Kamloops
— Jamie Rye (@tayho1977) May 4, 2021
If we do it will be a little higher! Plan is to leave Calgary for Kamloops then Comox.
— CF Snowbirds (@CFSnowbirds) May 4, 2021
There at least 1 #Snowbird that circled and seemed to land at #Kamloops airport. pic.twitter.com/thIJ8VmHKI
— Cory S. Laybourne (@MrMoonshine1974) May 4, 2021
