Photo: Third Strike Wingwalking
Air Show Atlantic returns to Nova Scotia for 2017
By Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff
For the first time since 2010, the Atlantic Canada International Air Show will be held in Nova Scotia this year, and the two-day spectacle is only a week away. The show takes place at 14 Wing Greenwood over August 26 and 27, and Executive Director Colin Stephenson said he’s happy to bring the event back to its home province after entertaining crowds in New Brunswick and P.E.I. in recent years.
“It’s been six years since our last show at Shearwater, and we’re happy to be back home in Nova Scotia, if you will, and to be at 14 Wing helping them celebrate their 75th Anniversary.”
This also means special pricing for CAF members and veterans, at $20 an adult ticket compared to $28 for civilians, and all children under 12 enter the grounds for free. The wing normally puts on a smaller military air show each year free of charge, and Stephenson said they’ve put in work to ensure a lineup of acts worthy of the price of admission, from interesting static displays to vintage warplanes, airborne stunts, and military aircraft.
“Some of the vintage aircraft are very interesting and that sort of reaches into the past to go along with the anniversary theme,” Stephenson said. This includes three planes that predate the Second World War – a Stearman biplane, the Grumman TBF Avenger bomber, and the Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, part of the Mike Potter Aircraft Collection and painted in the markings of naval aviator Robert Hampton Gray, Canada’s last Victoria Cross awardee.
“And then from there we also have the pure entertainment side of things,” Stephenson said, mentioning Pete McLeod of the Red Bull Air Race Series, who’ll pilot his Zivko Edge 540 in a race against the International Transtar 4300 Pyro Jet Truck, as well as Carol Pilon of Third Strike Wingwalking, Canada’s only daredevil ‘wingwalker’.
From the CAF and RCAF, the Snowbirds, the CF-18 Demo Team, and the Army Skyhawks Parachute Team are all confirmed to take to the skies over Greenwood during the two days, and a number of other RCAF aircraft and helicopters will also take part either in the air or on the ground as static displays. The Army will also be on the ground with vehicles and displays, including the Camp Canada Army-style obstacle course for the kids, and the grounds also includes other Kids Zone activities and the Runway Market, featuring local and regional companies as exhibitors.
“This is the full-on Air Show Atlantic event and there’s a lot for people to experience,” said Stephenson, who estimates the show will see between 8,000-12,000 spectators over the two days, depending on weather. It is a rain-or-shine show, however, meaning only the most severe storm would result in cancellations; most of the performers have ‘high’, ‘low’ and ‘flat’ routines that can safely accommodate different types of weather.
Stephenson said 14 Wing and the RCAF have been great partners for the event, and though Air Show Atlantic provides its own power, water, fencing and other setup essentials, the venue and the infrastructure that goes along with it is still helpful.
“There are some services that only the Air Force can provide, like crash fire rescue or help with air traffic control, and the military police manage security, so there’s a lot of cooperation between us and the wing,”
Gates will be open to the public from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on both days, and for more information on tickets and for a full schedule of events and performers, visit http://airshowatlantic.ca
