If Langley害羞草研究所檚 George Miller had known about it in time, he might very well have asked to fly among the 35 pilots performing a memorial Snowbirds flyby over the Lower Mainland skies tonight.
Miller, a retired Canadian Air Force pilot and one of the early Snowbirds leaders, was mortified to learn of Sunday害羞草研究所檚 plane crash in Kamloops, which killed Capt. Jennifer Casey, shortly after takeoff.
害羞草研究所淛ust watching that, knowing what she must have gone through. She obviously just bailed out way too late,害羞草研究所� he said, admitting he watched the video of the crash over and over again trying to determine what must have gone wrong.
It害羞草研究所檚 been almost 50 years since he flew with the Snowbirds, in the same CT-114Tutor jets flown today.
Miller fears the age of the aircraft might have played a key role in the tragic crash that killed Casey and seriously injured pilot Capt. Richard MacDougall.
Just like others, Miller is in the dark about what actually caused the crash. He speculates it could have been a technical or mechanical issue.
害羞草研究所淭he tragic thing is that we害羞草研究所檝e been flying this aircraft since 1963. What other nation would fly them that long?害羞草研究所� he posed.
Miller said that along with another accident in Atlanta last October 害羞草研究所� where a pilot ejected unhurt 害羞草研究所� this fatal crash in the B.C. Interior is likely to confirm the high-performance jets are overdue for retirement.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e got to determine if it害羞草研究所檚 worth flying these aircraft, keeping these going, and keeping it going,害羞草研究所� Miller said.
害羞草研究所淎nd because of COVID-19 and the expenditures of the federal government right now 害羞草研究所� ones it害羞草研究所檚 already committed to 害羞草研究所� there害羞草研究所檚 not going to be money to buy new aircraft. That害羞草研究所檚 my feeling,害羞草研究所� Miller assessed.
害羞草研究所淎nd, of course, with the 50th anniversary [of the Snowbirds this year], if they害羞草研究所檙e ever thinking of shutting this team down, this could be it,害羞草研究所� he added, emphasizing that he has no inside knowledge.
Miller believes the Snowbirds will be shuttered or transformed from a military to civilian team.
That害羞草研究所檚 simply conjecture on his part, he reiterated, clarifying that the first job at hand will be to investigate the cause of the crash, and figure out why it stalled and barrelled down to the ground.
Miller is wondering why the two didn害羞草研究所檛 eject sooner, what caused that delay, and why Casey害羞草研究所檚 parachute never opened?
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檒l have to go through that whole process, like how did it work out? What could have been done better? And whether there was any mistakes made, or what the mechanical problems were, and so on. Then determine what to be done with the team,害羞草研究所� Miller said.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 just no sense that they will get another aircraft, so what do they do?害羞草研究所� he pondered.
害羞草研究所淚 think it would be very brave of the Prime Minister, since there害羞草研究所檚 so much money spent anyways, that he put some money behind this and keep the team going. I don害羞草研究所檛 know, but that doesn害羞草研究所檛 seem to be the nature of the way things are happening.害羞草研究所�
This comes from a long-time member of the Canadian Air Force. In fact, Miller served 35 years 害羞草研究所� including a stint as the first national team leader of the Snowbirds in 1973 to 1974.
In more recent years, he served as manager of the Langley Regional Airport, worked a short stint with the Pitt Meadows Airport, and founded the Fraser Blues formation flying team.
While he害羞草研究所檚 fully retired now, Miller still heads up the Langley-based aerobatic team. They害羞草研究所檙e a four-member team, including his son Guy Miller, who still perform at a number of special events including missing man formations, large funerals, and the 75-aircraft flyby during Langley airport害羞草研究所檚 75th anniversary a few years back.
Fraser Blues typically fly once a week or so. In particular, they害羞草研究所檝e been flying the past four Fridays, Miller noted.
害羞草研究所淏ecause of COVID-19, I害羞草研究所檝e been trying to do sort of inspirational flights. Sort of the same idea as the Snowbirds, actually. We害羞草研究所檝e been flying over various towns, like over Langley害羞草研究所� and do special manoeuvres over the airport.害羞草研究所�
Miller heard nothing about the tribute flight into Vancouver until late in the day on Monday, but said the Fraser Blues 害羞草研究所� when they get back together again next to fly 害羞草研究所� might very well do a tribute flypast over Langley.
Tonight, planes will take off from Abbotsford害羞草研究所檚 airport at 6:30 p.m, and fly over Langley, White Rock, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Coquitlam, Port Moody, the North Shore, Vancouver and Burnaby before dispersing to their home airports.
The flight is being dubbed Operation Backup Inspiration, since 害羞草研究所� when the crash occurred 害羞草研究所� the Snowbirds were conducting a cross-country tour to uplift Canadians during the coronavirus outbreak.
害羞草研究所� with Black Press Media files
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