Canada’s famous military aerobatics team landed at Lake Simcoe Regional Airport on Thursday afternoon, as they prepare for the Barrie Air Show on Friday and Saturday.
The Snowbirds are ready to help kick off the Canada Day and Promenade Days weekend in downtown Barrie and will take to the skies Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
Two pilots from the nine CT-114 Tutors were on-hand today as Capt. Robbie Hindle and Maj. Bassam Mnaymneh took time to meet fans of the jets and take photos.
Hindle is from nearby Midland and will be part of the show this weekend over Kempenfelt Bay. He told BarrieToday how good it is to be home again; he was in January when the announcement of the local Canada Day show was made.
“We certainly don’t get the chance to come home very often, so it's always nice to do so and I took the chance to say hello to some folks from the air while flying in,” said Hindle. “It’s a quick weekend being for the two days, but I’m hoping to see some family and friends before we head over to Ottawa for Canada Day.”
Mnaymneh is in his third summer of flying with the Snowbirds and has fulfilled a life-long dream suiting up in the red uniform.
“I saw them as a kid at the Windsor Air Show and it made the decision really easy for me as to what I wanted to do with my life,” said Mnaymneh. “From there it was a motivation to work hard, study and do well at school until I get tryout, I’m glad it worked out.”
Mnaymneh did the Barrie show in 2017 and remembers fondly the support from the crowd as he and his teammates flew over the city and the lake.
“The flying is amazing, but the really cool part is the post-flying where you’re meeting the public and answering questions they have and taking pics with the kids,” said Mnaymneh.
“Crowds are always supportive, but I remember being here in 2017 and I can remember specifically what it looks like from the air, seeing the crowds cheering and smiling and just right into it," he added. "It is definitely a wonderful feeling.”
There will be many aircraft themed events around downtown Barrie with Heritage Park having displays by CFB Borden, Five Points Theatre having virtual reality simulators and the Barrie Public Library having flight-themed story times from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There will also be a CF-18 Demonstration Team. Mike Tryggvason and Gordon Price will display their tricks in the air as well.
Price has been flying for 60 of his 77 years and currently flies a Russian YAK-50 with seven years of Canadian national aerobatic champion on his resume.
Price told BarrieToday he has had a long career in the air
“I got an air cadet scholarship in 1959 and received my licence in 28 days, joined the air force and flew Star Fighters in Germany for nuclear strikes,” he said. “I got out of that at the age of 23 and joined Air Canada where I worked for them for 36 years and after retiring needed something to do.
"If you haven’t been to an airshow, this is a good one because you’ve all these young guys and one old guy up there all doing the same thing.”