The SkyHawks are the
Canadian 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.
...
Parachute Demonstration Team. Based at
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hu ...
in
Trenton, Ontario
Trenton (2001 population 16,770) is a large unincorporated community in Central Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the starting point for the Trent-Severn Waterway, which continues no ...
, they are a sub-unit of the
Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre
The Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre (CAAWC, french: links=no, Centre d'instruction supérieure de l'Armée canadienne), formerly Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre (CFLAWC), Canadian Parachute Centre (CPC), and Canadian Airborne Cen ...
(CAAWC).
The team consists of both permanent members and temporary members from the Regular and Reserve Forces. They act as ambassadors for the Canadian Forces at special events, airshows and events. They are easily recognizable because their parachutes resemble the
Canadian flag
The national flag of Canada (french: le Drapeau national du Canada), often simply referred to as the Canadian flag or, unofficially, as the Maple Leaf or ' (; ), consists of a red field with a white square at its centre in the ratio of , in ...
.
History
The team was established in 1971 with Major
John Hasek as its first commander. The SkyHawks have appeared in more than 4,200 shows, performing for over 75 million spectators. Other than
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, they have also made appearances around the world including
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. The SkyHawks have demonstrated
parachuting
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
For ...
at a
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
concert in 2003, at the
Juno Beach Centre
The Juno Beach Centre (french: Centre Juno Beach) is a museum located in Courseulles-sur-Mer in the Calvados region of Normandy, France. It is situated immediately behind the beach codenamed Juno, the section of the Allied beachhead on which 14 ...
opening celebrations in Normandy, and at the 60th anniversary of the
Liberation of Holland. The team conducts over 3,400 parachute descents at training camp each year in order to prepare for their show season, which runs from March until October.
Over the years augmentee demonstration parachutists have been drawn from all commands of the Canadian Forces, representing a myriad of trades and officer classifications.
The SkyHawks team spends five weeks training in the clear, sunny skies of California. Members of the SkyHawks also provide instructor assistance for parachute training to members of the Canadian Forces at the CAAWC. The team uses a leased
Short SC.7 Skyvan aircraft as their primary jump platform.
See also
*
Parachute rigger
A parachute rigger is a person who is trained or licensed to pack, maintain or repair parachutes. A rigger is required to understand fabrics, hardware, webbing, regulations, sewing, packing, and other aspects related to the building, packing, rep ...
*
Canadian Sport Parachuting Association
The Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA), through affiliation with the Aero Club of Canada (ACC), is Canada's representative to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and the International Parachuting Commission (IPC). ...
Other teams worldwide
*
Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team
The Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team (SAFPT), also known as the Red Lions is best known for its free-fall displays at the annual National Day Parade held in Singapore since its first appearance in 1989 as a formalised team, although members o ...
—Red Lions
*United Kingdom—
Red Devils (Parachute Regiment)
The Red Devils are the Parachute Regiment's parachute display team. The team wears the distinctive maroon beret. The Red Devils are regular serving paratroopers from the four battalions of the Parachute Regiment who have volunteered to serve on ...
*
United States Army Parachute Team
The United States Army Parachute Team, nicknamed the Golden Knights, is a demonstration and competition parachute team of the United States Army. It consists of demonstration and competition parachutist teams, drawn from all branches of the U.S. ...
—The Golden Knights
*US
Special Operations Command parachute team
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Parachute Team, called the Para-Commandos, is composed of volunteers from the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. government civilians who are assigned to Special Operations ...
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skyhawks Parachute Team
Military units and formations of the Canadian Army
Military units and formations established in 1971
Parachute display teams
1971 establishments in Canada