Royal Canadian Air Force to Retire Snowbirds’ CT-114 Tutor Aircraft

The Canadian aerobatic team Snowbirds will permanently retire its Canadair CT-114 Tutor trainer aircraft after completing the current demonstration season.

According to the Ottawa Citizen, the aging jet will be replaced by Swiss Pilatus PC-21 turboprops, which will receive the designation CT-157 Siskin II in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

As a result, following its final performance in October this year, the Snowbirds will take a break from airshows until 2030.
Development of the Canadair CT-114 Tutor, internally designated CL-41, began in the late 1950s at Canadian company Canadair.

The aircraft was designed as a jet trainer for the basic and advanced training of pilots.

The CT-114 prototype made its first flight in January 1960. One of the aircraft’s distinctive features was its side-by-side seating arrangement, which was considered convenient for instructors and trainees during training flights.

The aircraft was powered by a single Orenda J85-CAN-40 turbojet engine, which provided a maximum speed of approximately 780 km/h.

Its ease of handling and high maneuverability made the Tutor a successful platform not only for pilot training but also for aerobatic displays.

In 1963, the Royal Canadian Air Force ordered the aircraft into serial production, purchasing a total of 190 units. Deliveries continued until 1967.

In 1971, the Snowbirds aerobatic team was formed within No. 431 Squadron. To support its performances and maintain a reserve, the team operated 11 of the aircraft, nine of which took part in demonstration shows.

The aircraft were modified for airshow operations with a colored smoke system and modified fuel equipment that allowed them to remain inverted for extended periods.

The Royal Canadian Air Force retired the CT-114 Tutor from its training squadrons in 2000, replacing them with the more modern CT-156 Harvard II and CT-155 Hawk.