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Snowbirds flying team cancels U.S. show after budget cuts reduce flying hours

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds demonstration team fly over Comox, B.C., during a training flight on Thursday April 18, 2013. Canada's famed Snowbirds aerobatic flying team has been forced to cancel all shows in the United States because of budget cuts.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds demonstration team fly over Comox, B.C., during a training flight on Thursday April 18, 2013. Canada’s famed Snowbirds aerobatic flying team has been forced to cancel all shows in the United States because of budget cuts.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Canadian Press

MOOSE JAW, Sask. - Canada’s famed Snowbirds aerobatic flying team has been forced to cancel all shows in the United States because of budget cuts.

Snowbirds spokesman Capt. Thomas Edelson says the number of flying hours were cut for the squadron based in Moose Jaw, Sask., so the four U.S. shows were cancelled.

Edelson says the team enjoys going south of the border, but Canadian audiences have to be the priority.

Herb Gillen, a spokesman for the Oregon International Air Show, says organizers got a call from the Snowbirds about 10 days ago to cancel a September show.

Gillen says removing the Snowbirds from the lineup is a pretty big blow for the Oregon show.

He says organizers are regrouping and trying to figure out what the viability of the show is if it doesn’t have a jet demonstration team.

© The Canadian Press, 2014

  • Henrie Timmers

    This saddens me. I have been watching the Canadian Snowbirds fly since before they got their official team name. I had the pleasure of a ride in one of the jets in 1990, The Snowbirds are ambassadors for Canada and it pains me to see that in this supposed recovering economy we are willing to cut something that has been a pride for Canada for nearly 50 years.