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There’s a buzz over the Edmonton area that will grow to a roar for those taking in the Alberta International Airshow west of St. Albert this weekend.
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The airshow at Villeneuve Airport, about eight kilometres west of St. Albert, takes flight from noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
This year’s aerobatic demonstrations include the CF-18 team representing aviators of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) who conduct and support operations at home and around the world every day. Shows will also include the A-10 demo team, the United States Air Force’s premier close air support aircraft, providing protection to troops on the ground. The Air Combat Command A-10C Thunderbolt II demonstration team, stationed out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, is part of the event too, showcasing the unique combat capabilities of the A-10 “Warthog.” The Growler demonstration team will also perform as part of the U.S. Navy Legacy Flight Team.
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Another highlight will be the appearance by the Red Devils, the parachute display team of the British Army and The Parachute Regiment, not seen in Canada in over 25 years and in Alberta for the first time. The team is made up of full-time serving paratroopers, all professional skydivers, some of who have jumped over 4,000 times.
Civilian performers include one of Canada’s most recognizable airshow duos, Edmonton-raised brothers David and Drew Watson, known as Yellow Thunder, bringing a double thrill with their two-plane formation and aerobatic maneuvers.
Bill Carter will also keep spectators breathless with the opening half-roll on takeoff to his trademark conclusion-an inverted ribbon cut. He flies at 260 km per hour, 14 feet above the ground, shredding a ribbon stretched between two poles 20 metres apart. His manoeuvres include tailslides, hammerheads, loops, rolls and one of the longest knife-edge passes in the world.
With Ken Fowler of Team Rocket, as his role model, Kyle Fowler earned his pilot’s licence at 21, launching his airshow career. His shows include a PA-31 Navajo Chieftain, a 1946 Cessna 120 and his unique 1986 Long EZ.
Finally, veteran airshow pilot and performer John Mrazek along with his Harvard Mark IV, “Pussycat II,” will dazzle with a spectacular aerial ballet. With lots of noise, smoke, and skill, John’s aerobatic performance will expand to include a demo by his son Richard, flying a Yakovlev 18T.
