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Underneath the jets there are two fuel pods
(tanks) which contain diesel fuel. |
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| There
is a tube from each tank to the exhaust at the back of the engine.
The pilot squeezes a trigger on the control stick which starts the
flow of diesel from the tank to the engine exhaust. |
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| When
the diesel fuel enters the exhaust, it immediately vaporizes and
creates a white smoke trail. To stop the flow of diesel fuel, the
pilot squeezes the trigger one more time. |
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| This
smoke trail dissipates before it reaches the ground and is
considered harmless. |
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| The
Snowbirds have two jets that are flown by the Coordinators that
are used as spare aircraft for the performance. |
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| If
at any time during the performance one of the nine jets becomes
unserviceable, the pilot lands the jet and uses one of the spare
aircraft. |
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| Since
the Snowbirds do not have any spare pilots, if one of the pilots
gets sick, then that person cannot fly in the show. |
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| The
Team will then make minor changes to their performance and fly
without that one pilot. |
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| The
Snowbirds leave their home base in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and
travel to Comox, British Columbia in April each year for about two
weeks to practice over different terrain. |
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| The
solos aim to be approximately 10 metres apart when they cross.
With a speed of close to 600 km/hr for each jet, the closure speed
of the jets is very close to the speed of sound. |
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| Starting
in May until mid-October each year the team travels across North
America performing at various air shows. |
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| Throughout
the six month air show season, the Snowbirds return to their home
base about four times for a couple of days to perform some
maintenance on the aircraft. |
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| Next
a brief Squadron history: |
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| On
11 November 1942, 431 Bomber Squadron formed at Burn, England.
They were in England for the duration of the war and moved to RCAF
Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, after V-E Day, disbanding there on
5 September 1945. |
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| 431
Fighter Squadron formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on 18 January
1954 in order to display the Sabre to the public at airshows. They
were disbanded on 1 October 1954. |
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| They
were re-activated on 1 April 1978 as 431 Air Demonstration
Squadron, more commonly known as the Snowbirds, flying the CT-114
Tutor. |
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| On
15 October 2004, 431 Sqn was presented their Squadron Colours, for
30 years of service. |
| Information
source : official Snowbirds site |
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