--- title: "Canada’s Snowbirds Say Farewell To The CT-114 Tutor Jet" description: "After 55 years with the Tutor, the aerobatic team faces an extended hiatus before transitioning to the PC-21 turboprop in the early 2030s. After 55 years with the Tutor, the aerobatic team faces an extended hiatus before transitioning to the PC-21 in the early 2030s." date: "2026-10-16" modified: "2026-10-16" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/air/canadas-snowbirds-say-farewell-to-the-ct-114-tutor-jet" categories: - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Military Aviation History" - "Royal Canadian Air Force" - "Trainers" --- # Canada’s Snowbirds Say Farewell To The CT-114 Tutor Jet ![The Canadian Forces Snowbirds brought the Canadair CT-114 Tutor’s aerobatic career to a close on Friday, October 16, with a final home-base demonstration at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The private event, which was livestreamed, honored the Canadian-built jet trainer that defined the team for more than half a century, as well as the aircrew and support personnel who kept the increasingly demanding aircraft flying.]() *Canadian Forces* The Canadian Forces Snowbirds brought the Canadair [CT-114 Tutor]()’s aerobatic career to a close on Friday, October 16, with a final home-base demonstration at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The private event, which was livestreamed, honored the Canadian-built jet trainer that defined the team [for more than half a century](), as well as the aircrew and support personnel who kept the increasingly demanding aircraft flying. https://twitter.com/RCAF_ARC/status/2110095099657064501?s=20 While Friday’s performance marks the end of the Tutor’s *aerobatic* display career with the team, a Grey Cup flyover in Calgary on November 15 remains [on the schedule](). Speaking to *MooseJawToday* on October 15, Snowbirds team lead Maj. Maciej “Match” Hatta [described]() the Tutor’s final season as an emotional milestone for the squadron, as well as an opportunity to recognize the families and support personnel who sustain the team during its annual touring season. ![The Royal Canadian Snowbirds taxi at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho Oct. 12, 2017. The Snowbirds performed during the Gowen Thunder Open House and Airshow. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua C. Allmaras)]() *The Snowbirds taxi at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, during the Gowen Thunder Open House and Airshow, in 2017. Note the twin smoke tanks below the fuselage. *U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua C. Allmaras** Hatta has a long personal history with the aircraft. He flew with the Snowbirds from 2014 to 2017, subsequently worked on testing the Tutor’s avionics upgrades, and returned this year to lead the team through its final season with the jet. Despite having flown around 30 different aircraft as a test pilot, he has a particular attachment to the Tutor. “This is still my favorite airplane to fly,” he said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2k1kfFTWO4 Hatta recalled flying a maintenance test sortie alone the previous day, enjoying the opportunity to look out over the wings without the near-constant radio communications involved in leading a formation display. He also noted the differences between individual aircraft in the fleet. “They all have their own personality,” Hatta said. “Some of them howl a little more than others. Some get hotter inside. Some have poor air conditioning.” Lt.-Col. Guillaume Paquet, commanding officer of No. 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), [said]() the final season has prompted strong reactions from spectators, many of whom have grown up watching the Snowbirds perform in the Tutor. “The reality is we’ve been touring this country for 55 years, so everyone has a story, a childhood memory,” Paquet said. ## Golden Hawks To Snowbirds Canada’s [military aerobatic tradition]() dates back to 1929, when the biplane [Armstrong Whitworth Siskin]() helped establish the country’s formation-flying heritage. The modern era began in 1959 with the creation of the Golden Hawks, formed to mark the 50th anniversary of powered flight in Canada and the 35th anniversary of the RCAF. Flying gold-painted Canadair-built [F-86 Sabre]() fighters, the team initially was intended to operate for a single season. Its popularity led to several more years of performances across Canada and the United States before it was disbanded after the 1963 season amid the high costs of maintaining it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_SFCisCqqw Canada’s centennial celebrations in 1967 brought a new demonstration team, the Golden Centennaires, which flew CT-114 Tutor jet trainers at 100 airshows across Canada and the United States. The Tutors would subsequently become the foundation of the Snowbirds. In 1969, Colonel O.B. Philp, newly appointed commander of No. 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, encouraged instructors to practice formation aerobatics using surplus Tutors left over from the Centennaires program. Initially presented as training and proficiency flying, the formations soon attracted public attention and gradually evolved into an established demonstration team. ![]() *The Golden Centennaires existed for only one year to celebrate the centennial of Canada in 1967. *Canadian Forces** The formation grew from four aircraft in 1970 to seven in 1971, when the Snowbirds name was adopted following a competition among schoolchildren. Two solo aircraft were added in 1972, establishing the team’s familiar nine-aircraft format. That year, its pilots were assigned to demonstration flying on a full-time basis. The team’s Tutors were modified to support solo operation from the right-hand seat and the demands of inverted flight during aerobatic displays. In 1974, the Tutors received their distinctive red, white, and blue paint scheme, and the team was authorized to perform a fully aerobatic display. ![The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform an aerial demonstration over Rickenbacker International Airport, June 19 2026, as part of the Columbus Air Show. This year’s event featured more than 20 military and civilian planes and static displays, including a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, which served as the base of operations for military aircraft participating in the show. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Mikayla Gibbs)]() *Seven Canadian Forces Snowbirds jets perform an aerial demonstration earlier this year. *U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Mikayla Gibbs** The Snowbirds subsequently achieved full squadron status as No. 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, becoming one of the most recognizable symbols of Canadian military aviation. Their officially stated mission was to demonstrate the professionalism, teamwork, and flying skills of the Canadian Armed Forces to audiences across North America. ![150625-N-SN160-356 EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Jun, 25, 2015) The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, join their signature Delta formation with the Canadian Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds, for a scheduled photo shoot over Evansville, Ind. The Blue Angels are scheduled to perform at 68 demonstrations at 35 locations across the U.S. in 2015.. (U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Lindsey/Released)]() *The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, join their signature Delta formation with the Snowbirds for a scheduled photo shoot over Evansville, Indiana, in 2015. *U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Lindsey/Released** However, the Tutor’s final years were marked by a series of serious accidents and renewed scrutiny of its aging systems. In October 2019, a Snowbirds aircraft [crashed in Georgia]() after an engine fuel-delivery failure, with the pilot surviving an ejection that was itself affected by a parachute malfunction. In May 2020, another Tutor [crashed shortly after takeoff]() near Kamloops, British Columbia, killing the Snowbirds public affairs officer and seriously injuring the pilot; investigators determined that a bird strike had triggered an engine compressor stall. The fleet was temporarily grounded following that accident, with operations resuming under additional restrictions in August 2020. A further accident at Fort St. John, British Columbia, [in August 2022]() prompted another [fleet-wide operational pause]() after an engine failure during takeoff; investigators identified an improperly assembled oil filter as the cause. The aircraft returned to service the following month. ![The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds are parked on the flight line at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., May 12, 2018. The Snowbirds aerial demonstration team performed a fly over in missing-man formation during the North American Aerospace Defense Command's 60th Anniversary Celebration. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Emily Kenney, USAF)]() *The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds parked on the flight line at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, in 2018, during the North American Aerospace Defense Command's 60th Anniversary Celebration. *DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Emily Kenney, USAF** Subsequent safety measures included restrictions on certain aerobatic maneuvers and formations, minimum runway-length requirements, and limits on flying over water or performing some maneuvers outside gliding distance of a suitable landing surface. At the same time, the persistent engineering challenges involving the Tutor’s airframe, engines, and ejection system were all factors in its retirement, with the RCAF concluding that further life-extension work was no longer practical. ## Developing Canada’s Jet Trainer Canadair Limited of Montreal began developing the CL-41A Tutor in the mid-1950s as a high-performance jet trainer to prepare RCAF pilots for the Canadair-built F-86 Sabre. The all-metal, low-wing, single-engine aircraft featured side-by-side seating and duplicate flight controls, allowing instructors to monitor students closely and take control when necessary. Two prototypes were built, with the first making its maiden flight on January 13, 1960, with Canadair test pilot Ian MacTavish at the controls. ![CANADA - SEPTEMBER 01: Snowbirds roar over metro. Capt. Wes MacKay banks his Canadian Forces Tutor jet over downtown Toronto yesterday in a practice run before he and fellow Snowbirds perform today at the CNE. Canada's crack aerobatics team will make no changes in their thrilling performance despite Sunday's West German air show crash that killed 49 and injured 500. (Photo by Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images)]() *Capt. Wes MacKay banks his Canadian Forces Tutor jet over downtown Toronto in a practice run before a performance at the Canadian National Exhibition in 1988. *Photo by Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images** Following an extensive testing and demonstration program, Canadian Minister of National Defence D.S. Harkness announced an order for 190 production aircraft on September 11, 1961. Deliveries began in 1963, with each aircraft reportedly costing approximately C$425,000 (around $394,000). Powered by a General Electric J85-CAN-40 turbojet built under licence by Orenda, the aircraft entered RCAF training service in late 1964 under the designation CT-114 Tutor. As well as the RCAF, the Tutor found one other military operator in Malaysia. The Royal Malaysian Air Force received 20 examples designated the CL-41G Tebuan (meaning “Wasp” in the Malay language), which served between 1967 and 1986 in the ground-attack role. ![]() *A Royal Malaysian Air Force CL-41G Tebuan. *[The Aviation Historian]() Archive** The Tutor served as the RCAF’s primary jet trainer for decades, accumulating more than one million flight hours before its training role [ended in 2000](). It was replaced by the [CT-156 Harvard II]() and [CT-155 Hawk](). The aircraft nevertheless remained in military service with the Snowbirds. ### The Next Chapter The Tutor’s retirement will bring an end to a long chapter in Canadian military aviation, but the Snowbirds are expected to continue flying with a new aircraft type. In May of this year, the Department of National Defence announced plans to replace the CT-114 with the CT-157 Siskin II, based on the [Pilatus PC-21]() turboprop trainer. The new demonstration capability will remain at 15 Wing Moose Jaw and is expected to become operational in the early 2030s. https://twitter.com/RCAF_ARC/status/2056789322007802161?s=20 The Siskin II has already been procured under Canada’s wider [Future Aircrew Training]() (FAcT) program, for advanced fixed-wing and jet preparation. It is one of five aircraft types being procured under a 25-year, C$11.2-billion (approximately $7.9 billion) contract awarded to [SkyAlyne]() in 2024. The other four types are the [CT-102B Astra II]() (Grob G 120TP) for basic pilot training; CT-157 Siskin II for advanced fixed-wing and jet preparation; [CT-145E Expeditor II ]()(Beechcraft King Air 260) for multi-engine training; [CT-153 Juno]() (Airbus H135) for helicopter training; and [CT-142Q Citadel]() (De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400) for training air combat systems officers and airborne electronic sensor operators. ![]() *One of the first two Pilatus PC-21s departs Stans in Switzerland bound for Canada on September 14, 2026. These first aircraft mark the start of a new chapter in Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. *Pilatus** Paquet, the No. 431 Air Demonstration Squadron boss, [said]() all Tutors are to be flown to IMP Aerospace in Trenton, Ontario, by March 31, 2027, where they will be disposed of. Some aircraft are expected to be preserved in museums or mounted on pedestals for public display, while others will be used as training aids for aircraft maintenance apprentices in Borden, Ontario. “They’re not going to be flying. They’re not going to be flyable,” Paquet said. Snowbirds team lead “Match” Hatta hopes to contribute his test-pilot experience to the transition, including testing the replacement aircraft and developing the new demonstration program. “I would love to contribute to the team in terms of seeing them through the transition,” he said. “If I’m able to use my test background as well in helping that out, testing the new show, testing the new airplanes, and passing it on to a new boss down the road, then I’d love to do that.” ![Royal Canadian Air Force CT-114 Tutor pilots with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds 431st Air Demonstration Squadron, perform pre-flight demonstrations during the Defenders of Liberty Air & Space Show at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., May 19, 2019. Serving as ambassadors of the CAF, the CF Snowbirds demonstrate a high level of skill, professionalism, teamwork, discipline and dedication inherent in the men and women of the CAF. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Jacob B. Wrightsman)]() *Royal Canadian Air Force CT-114 Tutor pilots with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform pre-flight checks during the Defenders of Liberty Air & Space Show at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, in 2019. *U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Jacob B. Wrightsman** For Paquet, the immediate priority is completing the final display season without incident before turning to the next phase of the team’s history. “I will definitely be emotional. The only thing I’m hoping for is that all the planes land safely, bring everybody home, and then we can check the box and say it was an extremely successful season. I brought everybody home, and we’ll move on to the next chapter.” After more than six decades since its development began, the Tutor leaves behind a legacy spanning generations of military pilots and millions of spectators. Its final Snowbirds aerobatic display represents not simply the retirement of an aging aircraft, but the end of a long tradition in which the little jet trainer was one of the country’s most recognizable symbols of military flying and aerial performance. *Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()