Kathy's Journey, vol 2

[Dawn Kellie]

I flew the CT-114 Tutor, a Canadian designed and built trainer from the early 1960s.  They were retired from training in 2000, but the RCAF's demonstration team, the Snowbirds, still fly them.

The snowbirds have a different meaning in Florida. I snowbird is a person that lives in the north during the summer and Florida in the winter. As a whole they are very unpopular. Our car accidents go up and getting in to a doctor is near impossible

[KathyLauren]

The snowbirds have a different meaning in Florida. I snowbird is a person that lives in the north during the summer and Florida in the winter. As a whole they are very unpopular. Our car accidents go up and getting in to a doctor is near impossible

Yes, we have the same meaning here.  In fact the primary meaning is a Canadian who spends the winter in Florida.  By analogy other northerners are included too.  The term, whether referring to the air demonstration team or to vacationers, comes from the Anne Murray song "Snowbird", which was insanely popular here in the 1970s.

[Stottie Girl]

I've never been sure why military aerobatic teams often opt for training aircraft instead of front line fighters. UK's red arrows used the Folland Gnat and the BAC Hawk, The french use Alpha jets, Italians Aermacchi.

Is it a cost thing or are they significantly more manouverable?

I suppose the americans buck the trend with their f/A 18 hornets.

[Dawn Kellie]

USAF Thunderbirds use the F-16c.

US Navy use the F/A 18 super Hornet

Both front line aircraft.

[Stottie Girl]

USAF Thunderbirds use the F-16c.

US Navy use the F/A 18 super Hornet

Both front line aircraft.

Blue Angels and I don't know the name of the other one. America always does things differently!

Actually the Russian Knights used to use front line fighters too. I saw them in the 90's after the fall of the Soviet Union, before we ended up back in a cold war.

[Dawn Kellie]

As an Airman I'm hurt you never heard of the Thunderbirds. 😤.
They obviously need a better PR firm. They are the Airforce equivalent of the Blie Angles

[KathyLauren]

I've never been sure why military aerobatic teams often opt for training aircraft instead of front line fighters. UK's red arrows used the Folland Gnat and the BAC Hawk, The french use Alpha jets, Italians Aermacchi.

Is it a cost thing or are they significantly more manouverable?

I suppose the americans buck the trend with their f/A 18 hornets.

The main reasons are cost, availability, and show performance.  Trainers use significantly less fuel than fighters, and are cheaper per hour to maintain.  Most air forces have many more trainers than fighters.  When they are taken off training duty, the ones in better shape can be reassigned to demonstration teams. 

Trainers give a more enjoyable show from the spectators' point of view.  When a fighter jet, flying at 500 knots does a loop, it climbs so high that it becomes a tiny dot.  If it does a level turn, it will quickly be in the next county.  A trainer, flying at 250 knots can turn within the airport fence, and is easily visible at the top of a loop.