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last mo.

Snowbirds to Make Final CT-114 Flight at Grey Cup in Calgary

The flight closes the Tutors' 55‑year run, signaling a planned transition to new aircraft in the early 2030s.

The Snowbirds aerobatic team fly by the Calgary skyline on the first day of the Calgary Stampede.
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Snowbirds perform a flypast over the Canada Day National noon ceremony at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The Snowbirds perform during the 2022 Wings over Springbank airshow, west of Calgary on July 23, 2022.

Overview

  • Officials confirmed Sept. 3–4 that the Canadian Forces Snowbirds will perform the CT-114 Tutor fleet’s final public demonstration at the 113th Grey Cup on Nov. 15 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
  • The Snowbirds will retire the CT-114 Tutors after the 2026 season, a decision senior Royal Canadian Air Force officials framed as the end of a 55-year chapter and the start of a multi-year move to replacement jets in the early 2030s.
  • The team is officially 431 Air Demonstration Squadron based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and has flown the CT-114 Tutor in national demonstrations since 1971.
  • CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston and Major-General Denis O’Reilly issued statements welcoming the Grey Cup send-off and calling the performance a national tribute during a championship celebration that includes concerts and cultural programming.
  • The Grey Cup confirmation supersedes earlier reports that the Snowbirds’ final performance might be at the California Capital Airshow in October, and the replacement timeline reflects a drawn-out procurement and transition process that will unfold over several years.