Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 16/04) - The Snowbirds will once again appear at The Northern Sky air show on July 24.

The nine-plane stunt crew is one of several flying acts at this year's show.

Other military acts include an airborne display of a CF-18 Hornet and a parachute demonstration by the Skyhawks. The 12-member Skyhawks team will jump from a CC-115 Buffalo.

The Canadian military also hopes to display a CH-149 Cormorant, a large search and rescue helicopter. The Cormorant will demonstrate its ability to airlift injured persons.

If the fire season permits, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development will provide two waterbombers, which will actually douse a planned fire at the air show.

There will also be six civilian flying acts, including Jimmy Hrymack. Hyrmack formerly flew with the 440 squadron in the NWT.

"They're the air force of the North," said captain Steve Thompson, air display director.

Hyrmack will be flying his Pitts Special, a high performance biplane.

Jerzy Strzyz will also fly at the show. He is, "one of Canada's up-and-coming aerobatic competition pilots," Thompson says.

Aside from the many flying demonstrations, there will also be a variety of aircraft for viewing on the ground.

Organizers are arranging to have one of nearly every plane in the Canadian Armed Forces on display. But this could be privy to change up to one week before the event, as priorities can change.

Included in the line-up are the CT-156 Harvard II and the CT-155 Hawk. Both are training planes used at the NATO Flying Training Centre in Moose Jaw, Sask.

High-tech planes

For the aeronautics enthusiast there will be two aircraft from the Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment in Cold Lake, Alta.

Organizers are also trying to get U.S. military aircraft, including an F-15, an A-10 and a Blackhawk helicopter.

Local air service providers will also have space to showcase their aircraft. With the diamond boom, many expedition companies have expanded their fleets beyond Twin Otters and Cessnas.