By LGen (R) André Deschamps
TCT-114 Tutor has faithfully served Canada for 66 years, and the Snowbirds have flown it for 55 years. That said, every aircraft eventually reaches the point where it’s time to move forward. Converting to the Pilatus PC-21 / CT-157 Siskin II is not a downgrade from a jet to a turboprop, although some will still inevitably question the move from a jet to a turboprop, but aerobatic excellence has never been determined by propulsion alone.
The PC-21 is an exceptionally capable modern military trainer designed for high-performance flying. It is a plus 8, minus 4 G aircraft with tandem seating, outstanding visibility, and approximately 1,600 horsepower driving a remarkably capable airframe. The tandem seating configuration improves visibility significantly for formation work, which is a real operational benefit. The aircraft features a bird strike-resistant glass canopy with excellent all-round vision. The cockpit is pressurized, and is equipped with an On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS), air conditioning, and Martin-Baker CH16C Zero-Zero ejection seats for improved comfort and safety. The flight controls, which are fully balanced and harmonized, are optimized for ease of operation and overall effectiveness. An anti-g system is also present in order to minimize the effects of high g-forces experienced during tactical training and aerobatic maneuvers. Pilots are able to spend a greater amount of time concentrating on the aircraft’s external situation and upon mission data inputs due to an ergonomic design approach, ease-of-use controls, and clear visual/system data displays. In addition, a full autopilot and civil flight management system are also present. The acceleration, climb performance, and energy available throughout the manoeuvre envelope make it exceptionally well suited to precision aerobatic flying. For an aerobatic team, all of those characteristics are advantages.
The performance profile of the aircraft will allow any demonstration to stay tighter and closer to centre stage. That means the audience experiences more of the precision and complexity of the routine instead of watching aircraft reposition farther away between manoeuvres.
Other nations have already demonstrated what this aircraft can do. The Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes, one of theworld’s premier military aerobatic teams, transitioned to the PC-21 and continue to demonstrate just how capable the aircraft is as a precision formation platform. Similarly, the Spanish Air & Space Force Patrulla Águila aerobatic team has also transitioned from older jets to the PC-21 in 2025. Future Snowbirds will undoubtedly benefit from their experience on the same type of aircraft.
To summarize the advantages over the current Tutor aircraft: the zero/zero ejection seat (means you can eject on the ground or very low altitude, something the current Tutor does not have); the engine and canopy are optimized for resisting bird strikes (a significant issue when performing low level flight); the aircraft is equipped with a G-suit system to help reduce reduce the risk of g-lock or black out; the tandem cockpit seating (pilot seats are not side by side, but behind each other) which removes the need to fly formation using cross-cockpit reference points and, using the same aircraft as the school will allow for much lower maintenance and sustainment costs and ease of transition for new pilots joining the Snowbirds (it will be the same aircraft they trained and received their wings on.)
There’s also a strong Canadian connection in the aircraft itself. The aircraft is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6, one of the most successful and reliable turbine engines ever built.
Whether an aircraft is jet, piston, or turboprop powered, it can be an exceptional demonstration platform when matched to the mission. The art of formation flying is about accuracy, geometry, timing, and keeping the performance connected to the audience. Importantly, Canada is not scaling back the future Snowbirds. The planned objective way ahead is to ensure the team continues to deliver the scale and quality of demonstration Canadians have come to know and expect.
Canadians love the Snowbird team, and so they should. The Snowbirds represent professionalism, excellence, and Canadian aviation at its best. The public should have confidence that the next generation of pilots and technicians will take that legacy forward extremely well with the PC-21.
