The Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) is an annual
air show
An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited.
They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground.
The largest air show m ...
in
Toronto,
Ontario, Canada. The show is an aeronautical display of military, government and civilian aircraft, primarily from Canada and the United States. The show takes place along Toronto's waterfront for three days during the Canadian
Labour Day
Labour Day ('' Labor Day'' in the United States) is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for ...
weekend. The show began in 1946 and has been held at
Exhibition Place since 1949.
History
Toronto was the site of numerous air shows as the city developed into a centre of air transportation and aircraft manufacturing in the early twentieth century. The Canadian International Air Show began in 1946 when the National Aeronautical Association of Canada attracted overflow crowds to a show at
de Havilland Canada manufacturing plant at
Downsview Airport
Downsview Airport was located in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. An air field, then air force base, it had been a testing facility for Bombardier Aerospace from 1994 to 2018. Bombardier has sold the facility and manufacturi ...
. The show became an annual event. The air show moved to
Exhibition Place in 1949. In 1956, the air show became affiliated with the annual
Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).
Present
The official CIAS takes place over the
Canadian Labour Day Weekend, which coincides with the closing weekend of the CNE. The start time for the show is scheduled for 12:00 pm with the show ending at approximately 3:00 pm each afternoon. The CIAS practice session is usually held on the day before the official CIAS, taking place between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
The show is performed over Lake Ontario directly south of Exhibition Place. It can be best viewed from Exhibition Place or
Ontario Place, although the show is visible from any other lakefront site, especially
Marilyn Bell Park
Marilyn may refer to:
* Marilyn (given name)
* Marilyn (singer) (born 1962), English singer
* Marilyn (hill), a type of mountain or hill in the British Isles with a prominence above 150 m
* 1486 Marilyn, a Main-belt asteroid
* ''Marilyn'' (1953 f ...
or
Coronation Park. Performers fly in from
Pearson, as well as the
island airport on nearby
Toronto Islands. Admission to the air show is free; however, viewing from Exhibition Place requires paid admission to the CNE.
There is no static display of aircraft.
A photo tour at Pearson had been introduced in 1993 and a full static display in 1996. Although a success, the display was cancelled by the time of the 1998 air show.
In 2020, both the air show and that summer's
Canadian National Exhibition were cancelled due to the global
COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the air show took place, even though the CNE was cancelled.
Local opposition
The airshow is unpopular with some nearby residents who object to the noise created by the jet fighters participating in the show and others who object to the military participation. It has been noted that the noise of the jet fighter demonstrations specifically is similar to that experienced by persons in active war zones.
In 2016, a ''
Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'' columnist noted, "that in a city with a large population of refugee newcomers and people who have experienced the trauma of war it is insulting, invasive, and violent".
Since 2012, during the airshow weekend, the Wikipedia article about the show has been repeatedly vandalized as a form of protest against the airshow, a phenomenon noted by the local Toronto media.
According to the City of Toronto, the air show "complies with all regulations, including those published by Transport Canada relating to noise."
Performers
The air show is typically a mix of Canadian and United States military aircraft, private aerobatic performers and civilian aircraft flypasts. The air show is often used by the Government of Canada to display new aircraft in the use of the government, such as search and rescue aircraft. On occasion, the air show has displayed unique civilian aircraft, such as the Concorde, and military aircraft of other nations. Flypasts have often included heritage military aircraft. The air show has included demonstrations of parachuting, aerial fire fighting and search and rescue missions.
Regular performers include the
Snowbirds, other
Canadian Armed Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
aircraft, the
United States Air Force (USAF), and the
United States Navy (USN).
Past performers have included the
Royal Canadian Air Cadets,
the
Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association,
Vintage Wings of Canada,
as well as private
aerobatics teams,
and
commercial airlines.
Notable appearances include;
*
Aeronautica Militare
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
Frecce Tricolori
*
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirlin ...
*
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
*
Breitling Jet Team
*
British Airways Concorde
*
Canadair
Canadair Ltd. was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. In 1986, its assets were acquired by Bombardier Aerospace, the aviation division of Canadian transport conglomerate Bombardier Inc.
Canadair's origins lie in the establishm ...
CF-104 Starfighter
* Canadian Forces
CF-18 Hornet
*
Luftwaffe Tornado
* Luftwaffe
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
*
RAF Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...
* RAF
Vulcan
*
RCAF CF-105 Arrow
* RCAF
Golden Hawks
*
USAF Thunderbirds
* USAF
A-10 Thunderbolt II
* USAF
B-1 Lancer
* USAF
B-2 Spirit
* USAF
B-36 Peacemaker
* USAF
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
* USAF
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
* USAF
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
* USAF
F-22 Raptor
* USAF
F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational airc ...
* USAF
SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by the United States Air Force ...
* USAF
U-2 Dragon Lady
*
USMC Harrier jump jet
*
USN Blue Angels
* USN
F-14 Tomcat
* USN
F/A 18F Super Hornet (Rhino)
Accidents and incidents during air display
* 1946: United States P-80 Shooting Star overstressed during aerial display with wrinkles actually appearing in the fuselage. Aircraft was returned to Dayton on flatbed truck.
* September 20, 1952:
Royal Canadian Air Force Avro Canada CF-100 Mk.3T piloted by S/L R.D. Schultz made a 500-knot high speed pass with vertical pull up, which overstressed the aircraft. The aircraft recovered to
North Bay successfully.
* September 19, 1953: Royal Canadian Air Force
Canadair Sabre 4, piloted by S/L W.R. Greene crashed into Lake Ontario, killing the pilot. The accident aircraft attempted loop recovery without sufficient altitude and hit Lake Ontario. A T-33 formation team also performing in the show shortened their performance due to low cloud and rain, and had entered clouds during looping maneuvers.
* September 2, 1966:
United States Navy Blue Angels pilot Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver was killed when he crashed his
F-11 Tiger into a breakwater at the
Toronto Island Airport. The airplane was travelling west-to-east across the exhibition waterfront, lost altitude and crashed. Debris injured two bystanders at the Island airport.
* September 5, 1976: A De Havilland DH-83C Fox Moth spun into Lake Ontario. The aircraft came to rest approximately 50–75 feet from spectators on the shoreline in approximately 15 feet of water. The pilot, Garth Martin, directed rescuers to a passenger, George Benedik, who was submerged in the wreck. Toronto Harbour Police (THP) Leading Hand (L/H) Robert Riekstins dove into the water three times before extracting Benedik from the wreck. Benedik was unconscious and without a pulse when loaded into a rescue boat. Rescuers successfully revived Benedik with external heart massage and mouth to nose artificial resuscitation (due to facial injuries). L/H Riekstins was later presented the Toronto Harbour Police Commissioners' Award of Merit medal for "heroism and dedication to duty".
* September 2, 1977: A
Fairey Firefly crashed after attempting to pull up after a manoeuvre. The pilot, Allen Ness, who was a founding member of the
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, stalled the aircraft and was killed.
* September 3, 1989: Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot Captain Shane Antaya died when, after a midair collision, his
Canadair CT-114 Tutor crashed into Lake Ontario. During the same accident, team commander Major Dan Dempsey safely
ejected from his aircraft.
* September 2, 1995: Seven Royal Air Force crew members were killed when their
Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2P stalled during a low altitude turn and crashed into Lake Ontario.
* September 6, 1998: Canadian Forces
SkyHawks Parachute Team Master Corporal Andre-Luc Bisson suffered a compound leg fracture while landing during a parachute jump. His parachute got tangled in tree branches during tricky wind conditions. Three other members of the team landed outside the landing zone, two into spectators and one hitting a car. The previous day a team member landed on
Lake Shore Boulevard.
Accidents and incidents related to air show
* August 23, 1949: During practice, two Royal Canadian Navy Seafires collided over Malton. The commanding officer, LCdr Clifford "Clunk" Watson, and Lt. Charles Elton were killed.
* September 5, 1957: During practice, Royal Canadian Air Force Avro Canada CF-100 Mk.4B pulled up, flamed out, went into inverted spin and crashed. F/Os H.R. Norris and R.C. Dougall were killed.
* September 1, 2000: En route to aerial display, Helicopter Enstrom F28A bearing registration N9244 departed Toronto City Centre Airport with a fibreglass moose, known as Bruce the Moose, under hoist. At approximately 100 feet the sling hook failed and the moose fell to the ground approximately 200 feet from the departure point, just off of airport property. Although Bruce suffered minor damage he was able to perform his duties at the air show.
* September 4, 2000: En route to aerial display, Canadian Forces Snowbird Demonstration Team (431 Squadron) departed Toronto Pearson International Airport as a formation. Approximately 3 nautical miles (NM) east of the airport an emergency was declared, the formation turned south and climbed to approximately 3,500 feet. Approximately, 6 NM south of the airport Snowbird 4 requested a landing. Snowbird 4's tail had collided in mid-air with Snowbird 1's left wing leading edge and belly smoke tank.
CT114172 Tutor and CT114006 Tutor
archived
version at the Wayback Machine.
References
External links
Canadian International Air Show
{{International Airshows
Air shows
Aviation in Canada
International Air Show
Annual events in Canada
Summer events in Canada