ROCKYVIEW COUNTY, Alta — The Wings Over Springbank Airshow is coming back to the Springbank Airport after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic later this month. The popular airshow, which has been running biannually since 2009, had to cancel the regularly scheduled event in 2021.
This year, the pilots are back and ready to make their planes dance in the air on July 23 and 24, delivering the same performance each day.
“[We] had to make the financially responsible decision to not just cross our fingers and hope it might work and [instead] we decided to wait until this year, when we can bring everybody together the right way,” said Sarah van Gilst, the chair and show producer for Wings Over Springbank.
“The performers, they’re paid performers, this is their job,” van Gilst added.
The show will feature many different planes, including the famous 431 Air Demonstration Squadron. Better known as the Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds, the squadron boasts a “super dynamic” nine-ship flying formation.
Van Gilst said the Snowbirds always manage to steal the show with their daring mid-air exploits. The Snowbirds’ experienced pilots focus on precision and teamwork, which are critical when the planes fly as close as two to four feet away from each other.
Joining the Snowbirds, the Skyhawks will be flying through the air this July. A Canadian Forces Parachute Demonstration Team, the Skyhawks will be decorating the air with their parachutes as the group leaps from their planes.
Another crowd-pleaser, the Warbirds from the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Oregon will be attending the Springbank air show, along with their Corsair, which is a plane with fold-able wings.
“There is not a lot of them [Warbirds] flying around the world still so those are special to see,” van Gilst said.
Warbirds are older planes and maintaining them is difficult, meaning the aircraft may not be around much longer, according to van Gilst.
“People will never get to see them again because there are so few of them flying now and they’re harder and harder to maintain and keep in the air. [This is] a bit of a lifetime opportunity,” van Gilst added.
New this year to the Springbank Airshow, the Northern Stars are a trio of ex-military Air Force pilots who will show off their flying formations.
“This is kind of a dream of the [team] for many years, to create this formation of flying with a group of friends as well as pilots,” van Gilst said.
While planes dance in the air, the airshow will also feature a static portion, where pilots will park their aircraft on the grounds and aviation lovers can view the planes.
After viewing the aircrafts, adults are welcome to join the beer gardens, which will feature craft brews from Airdrie’s Fitizsimons brewery. The cost for admission to the garden is $10.
“[The airshow] is able to support small businesses…we’re just really happy to be able to open the doors and bring people together,” van Gilst said.
For the younger attendees, a kids’ fun zone will be on site, with activities and bouncy castles for them to jump the day away.
For guests who get peckish, Wings Over Springbank will host 10 to 12 food trucks and van Gilst promises a wide variety of food options, including mini doughnuts and a poutine food truck. However, guests can also bring their own small cooler filled with beverages, sandwiches, and other snacks if they so choose.
Van Gilst suggests wearing good walking shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. Those with ear sensitivity or young children should also consider bringing ear protection, as the planes can be quite loud.
There is plenty of free, first-come, first-serve parking available at the Springbank Airport, but for those wanting to avoid traffic, there is a free park-and-ride service operating out of the Crowfoot LRT station in Calgary. The direct trip to the airport takes approximately 15 minutes and will be offered continuously throughout the day.
The show hosts nearly 10,000 guests each day, according to van Gilst. Despite the large number of expected visitors, she said space is never an issue due to the 3,000 feet of walkway the show occupies.
The volunteer-led show aims to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams of becoming a pilot, van Gilst said.
In addition to this, the non-profit show also makes monetary donations to local charities. As of press time, this year’s donation recipient had not been confirmed, but van Gilst is hoping to donate to Alberta Animal Rescue Society in memory of Captain Jenn Casey – a Snowbird pilot who lost her life two years ago, when a plane she was piloting endured engine issues and crashed.
Casey had a deep love for animals and made her dog her whole world, according to van Gilst.
“She was the person who, if she was at a party, she would be hanging out with the animals,” van Gilst added.
Tickets to the airshow can be purchased online at bit.ly/3HKZrEV. Tickets will also be available at the gates but the airshow will not accept cash.
Admission for adults is $32 and $22 for those over 60 and under 17. Families with two adults and two children can purchase the family pass, which costs $90. The airshow also offers a VIP experience for $155, which includes admission to the show, a buffet, two drink tickets, and show-line seating.
Van Gilst encourages Rocky View County residents who have never been to Wings Over Springbank to check it out this summer.
“It’s a unique interaction that people get with flying, usually when we see flying happening, we’re driving past a big international airport or we’re inside a big commercial airplane,” van Gilst said. “You don’t get to see the high-performance flying by smaller aircrafts.”
