Several upcoming airshows in the U.S. and Canada have been canceled, following an announcement Monday evening that the Canadian Forces’ Snowbirds have temporarily suspended air show performances. The team made the announcement on its Facebook page, following an appearance at the Memphis (Tenn.) Airshow. “A reduced training period hampered by poor weather which continued into the show season, resulted in numerous canceled practices,” said Major Patrick Gobeil, Snowbirds team lead, in the Facebook post. “As a result, more training is required before the Snowbirds resume the 2017 schedule.” The team typically completes about 20 practices during spring training, but this year completed only 13. The grounding is expected to continue through at least June 4.
The 2017 Rochester (N.Y.) International Airshow has been cancelled, as well as the Airshow YQG in Windsor, Ontario. “Military performers, and particularly the demonstration teams like the Snowbirds,are the main draws of a show,” Windsor airshow director Paul McCann told CBC News. “When they’re not able to participate, the financial impact is significant.” The Rhode Island National Guard Airshow in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, will go on without the Snowbirds. Appearances in Fort Erie, Ontario; Whiteman, Missouri; and Duluth, Minnesota, also are cancelled. The team has returned to their home base at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and will “return to the air show circuit once we have the consistency required for our dynamic nine-aircraft aerobatic performance,” according to the Facebook post.
