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The RCAF has released the 2019 schedule for the CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team. No shows outside of Canada, at least to start!

https://airshowstuff.com/v4/2018/canadi ... -released/

Schedules often change during the year – while we try to keep this post updated, you can also check out our airshow calendar to view the latest list of airshows and aviation events, plus major performer schedules!

2019 Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team Appearance Schedule

June 8-9: Val-d’Or, QC
June 12: North Bay, ON
June 22-23: Bagotville, QC
June 29: Barrie, ON

July 1: Ottawa, ON (Canada Day Flyover)
July 6-7: Moose Jaw, SK
July 20: Boundary Bay, BC
July 27-28: Springbank, AB

August 3-4: Quesnel, BC
August 9-11: Abbotsford, BC
August 17-18: Edmonton, AB Sioux Falls, SD
August 28: Brantford, ON
August 31-September 1: Greenwood, NS

September 7-8: Gatineau, QC
September 13-15: London, ON
September 21-22: Bromont, QC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSK-CTlxZhM

Was mentioned on a Facebook post (I believe by the new demo pilot) that this year’s jet will only have the vertical stabs painted to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of NATO...

Bingofuel wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:14 pm Was mentioned on a Facebook post (I believe by the new demo pilot) that this year’s jet will only have the vertical stabs painted to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of NATO...

Thanks, I had heard that being mentioned last year but did not hear it was brought up again more officially.

Does anyone know the new pilot's callsign? "Humza" I'm told?

RyanS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:00 pm Does anyone know the new pilot's callsign? "Humza" I'm told?

Yup, you are correct. The 2019 demo pilot is Brian “Humza” Kilroy.

AirshowHawk wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:03 pm

RyanS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:00 pm Does anyone know the new pilot's callsign? "Humza" I'm told?

Yup, you are correct. The 2019 demo pilot is Brian “Humza” Kilroy.

Thanks! Just throwing together a short blog post on the theme and pilot announcement.

An interesting article on the reasoning behind the curtailed CF-18 schedule. Personnel shortages such pilots and maintaince techs. Pretty embarassing. The government needs to get their shit together.

https://www.thestar.com/politics/federa ... ances.html

Agreed, this fighter procurement is taking faaaaaaar too long.

Looks like Maple Flag for 2019 is cancelled as well for basically the same reasons.

Any military procurement and the government takes too long in this country.

That story reflects issues with a number of military demo teams in Europe too. We've lost some European demo teams altogether simply because of lack of personnel compounded by shrinking budgets. For example, the Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Demo which was very popular on the European circuit (and on occasion in the US) faced significant challenges in its final few years simply attracting enough suitably qualified volunteers for the display pilot and support roles.

In the UK, we lost a year of Typhoon displays when the RAF was involved in operations over Libya. There was no slack in the system so ground support was drawn from the OCU which usually supplies the demo to support the frontline operations.

Its an issue that's unlikely to go away anytime soon. Various European Air Forces have been/are warning organisers they'll be less and less support outside their own country with contracting demo schedules.

Interesting news: according to their Facebook page, the CF-18 team is now dropping Toronto on Labor Day weekend and going to Greenwood, Nova Scotia instead!