Canadian International Air Show

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Canadian International Air Show
File:Snowbirds & CN Tower CIAS 2007.jpg
The Snowbirds fly past the CN Tower during the 2007 show
Genre Air show
Dates September
Frequency Annually
Location(s) Toronto, Ontario
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country Canada
Established 1946
Activity Aerobatic displays
Organized by Canadian International Air Show
Website
http://www.cias.org/

The Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) is an annual air show that has been held at the conclusion of the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto since 1949. Aircraft from Canada and the United States, as well as other countries, perform over Lake Ontario for three days in September.

History

Toronto was the site of numerous air shows as the city developed into a centre of air transportation and aircraft manufacturing in the early twentieth century. The Canadian International Air Show began in 1946 when the National Aeronautical Association of Canada attracted overflow crowds to a show at de Havilland Canada manufacturing plant at Downsview Airport. Staged annually thereafter, the air show moved to Exhibition Place in 1949, and became a regular feature of the CNE in 1956.[1]

Present

The CIAS practice session is usually held on the day before the official CIAS, taking place between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm[2]

The official CIAS takes place over the Canadian Labour Day Weekend, which coincides with the closing weekend of the CNE. The start time for the show is scheduled for 12:00 pm with the show ending at approximately 3:00 pm each afternoon.[3]

The show is performed over Lake Ontario at the waterfront of the CNE. It can be best viewed from Exhibition Place or Ontario Place, though the show is visible from any other lakefront site, especially Marilyn Bell Park or Coronation Park, on the city’s west side shore. Performers fly in from Pearson, as well as the island airport on nearby Toronto Islands, and so fly over the downtown area, with staging and holding primarily from Dufferin across to Jarvis and up to Bloor.

Admission to the air show is free; however, viewing from the CNE or Ontario Place requires paid admission to these sites.[4]

There is no static display of aircraft.[4][5] A photo tour at Pearson had been introduced in 1993 and a full static display in 1996. Although a success, the display was cancelled by the time of the 1998 air show.[6]

Prince Andrew, Duke of York is, as a member of the Canadian Royal Family, a royal patron of the air show.

Performers

Regular performers include the Snowbirds, other Canadian Forces aircraft, the United States Air Force (USAF), and the United States Navy (USN).[7][8][9] Past performers have included the Royal Canadian Air Cadets,[8][9] the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association,[8] Vintage Wings of Canada,[7] as well as private aerobatics teams,[7][8][9] and commercial airlines.

Notable appearances include;

Accidents and incidents during air display

  • 1946: United States P-80 Shooting Star overstressed during aerial display with wrinkles actually appearing in the fuselage. Aircraft was returned to Dayton on flatbed truck.[17]
  • September 19, 1953: Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair Sabre 4, piloted by S/L W.R. Greene crashed into Lake Ontario, killing the pilot. The accident aircraft attempted loop recovery without sufficient altitude and hit Lake Ontario. A T-33 formation team also performing in the show shortened their performance due to low cloud and rain, and had entered clouds during looping maneuvers.[19]
  • September 2, 1966: United States Navy Blue Angels pilot Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver was killed when he crashed his F-11 Tiger into a breakwater at the Toronto Island Airport.[20] The airplane was travelling west-to-east across the exhibition waterfront, lost altitude and crashed. Debris injured two bystanders at the Island airport.
  • September 5, 1976: A De Havilland DH-83C Fox Moth spun into Lake Ontario. The aircraft came to rest approximately 50 – 75 feet from spectators on the shoreline in approximately 15 feet of water. The pilot, Garth Martin, directed rescuers to a passenger, George Benedik, who was submerged in the wreck. Toronto Harbour Police (THP) Leading Hand (L/H) Richard Riekstins dove into the water three times before extracting Benedik from the wreck. Benedik was unconscious and without a pulse when loaded into a rescue boat. Rescuers successfully revived Benedik with external heart massage and mouth to nose artificial resuscitation (due to facial injuries). L/H Riekstins was later presented the Toronto Harbour Police Commissioners' Award of Merit medal for "heroism and dedication to duty".[21]
  • September 3, 1989: Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot Captain Shane Antaya died when, after a midair collision, his Canadair CT-114 Tutor crashed into Lake Ontario. During the same accident, team commander Major Dan Dempsey safely ejected from his aircraft.[23]
  • September 2, 1995: Seven Royal Air Force crew members were killed when their Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2P stalled during a low altitude turn and crashed into Lake Ontario.[24]
  • September 6, 1998: Canadian Forces SkyHawks Parachute Team Master Corporal Andre-Luc Bisson suffered a compound leg fracture while landing during a parachute jump. His parachute got tangled in tree branches during tricky wind conditions. Three other members of the team landed outside the landing zone, two into spectators and one hitting a car. The previous day a team member landed on Lake Shore Boulevard.[25]

Accidents and incidents related to air show

  • August 23, 1949: During practice, two Royal Canadian Navy Seafires collided over Malton. The commanding officer, LCdr Clifford "Clunk" Watson, and Lt. Charles Elton were killed.[26]
  • September 5, 1957: During practice, Royal Canadian Air Force Avro Canada CF-100 Mk.4B pulled up, flamed out, went into inverted spin and crashed. F/Os H.R. Norris and R.C. Dougall were killed.[27][28]
  • September 1, 2000: En route to aerial display, Helicopter Enstrom F28A bearing registration N9244 departed Toronto City Centre Airport with a fibreglass moose, known as Bruce the Moose, under hoist. At approximately 100 feet the sling hook failed and the moose fell to the ground approximately 200 feet from the departure point, just off of airport property. Although Bruce suffered minor damage he was able to perform his duties at the air show.[29]
  • September 4, 2000: En route to aerial display, Canadian Forces Snowbird Demonstration Team (431 Squadron) departed Toronto Pearson International Airport as a formation. Approximately 3 nautical miles (NM) east of the airport an emergency was declared, the formation turned south and climbed to approximately 3,500 feet. Approximately, 6 NM south of the airport Snowbird 4 requested a landing. Snowbird 4's tail had collided in mid-air with Snowbird 1's left wing leading edge and belly smoke tank.[30][31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Toronto's Historical Plaques – Canadian International Air Show Retrieved April 23, 2010
  2. ↑ CIAS Home Page
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 CIAS FAQs
  5. ↑ CIAS Show Information
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 1949–1999 CIAS at the CNE
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 2007 Lineup
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 2008 Lineup
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 2009 Lineup
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 2005 Lineup
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 2001 Lineup
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 2003 Lineup
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 1998 Lineup
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. p. 45. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
  18. ↑ Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. p. 89. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
  19. ↑ Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. p. 86. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ [The Toronto Star Monday, September 6, 1976 "Air crash horrifies thousands at CNE"
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Snowbirds Website: In Memory of Fallen Snowbirds
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. pages 48–51. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
  27. ↑ Air Force Association of Canada. Search: "Norris, F/L Howard Russell"
  28. ↑ Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. p. 200. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
  29. ↑ CADORS report for N9244
  30. ↑ CADORS report for SNOWBIRD4
  31. ↑ CT114172 Tutor and CT114006 Tutor, archived version at the Wayback Machine.

External links

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