Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) members in Moose Jaw, Sask. got a first look at the type of trainer aircraft that will replace the retiring Snowbirds fleet.
Four new CT-157 Siskin II turboprop advanced training aircraft arrived at 15 Wing in the southern Saskatchewan city Monday, after two landed in Gatineau, Que. last Thursday. These specific aircraft will be used for training, but they are the same model as the ones expected to replace the Canadian Forces Snowbirds aging CT-114 Tutor jets after their final showing at the Grey Cup in Calgary’s McMahon Stadium Nov. 15.
“This is very exciting. Having new aircraft reinvigorates our training streams, but more importantly, it provides our young students and young aviators with the opportunity to learn new technologies,” said acting commander of 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Lt.-Col. Craig Cloete. He spoke with reporters at an event commemorating the Battle of Britain Sunday, prior to the Siskin IIs arriving.
The Snowbirds have called Moose Jaw home since the performance fleet was founded in 1971.
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Two flight schools are also housed at 15 Wing Moose Jaw. Ensuring students at the base have access to modern equipment will help prepare them for future flights and gives them a leg up as technology continues to evolve, Cloete said.
“We cannot remain stagnant in our training methodologies or the tools that we use for training,” he continued.
A total of 19 Siskin II aircraft are expected to be stationed in the Saskatchewan city.
Maj. Zacharie Charbonneau said a lot the technology in the training aircraft, such as the fully digital cockpit, ensures trainees are ready for the future of aviation.
“We’re very happy and excited to start flying them,” Charbonneau told Global News.
“Information management is the new way of flying. So, teaching people how to gather the information, how to perceive it, how to comprehend what’s coming at them and protect ahead of the aircraft. It’s a bit of a different change in the paradigm and the way that we teach flying.”
He had the opportunity to fly a Siskin II while undergoing training in Switzerland, where the aircraft are manufactured, this summer. Students will have the chance to fly them after the other instructors are adequately trained, Charbonneau said.
“It’s an amazing aircraft, rolls incredibly fast,” the major continued, adding that it is “kind of the F-1 of trainers.”
The advanced trainer has a maximum speed of 685 km/h, which is slightly slower than the Tutor jets’ 763 km/h max speed, according to the RCAF website. The four that arrived Monday will be used for advanced flying training and as a step towards jet training while stationed in Moose Jaw.
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