Snowbirds

Since the first time I heard about the Snowbirds I've wanted to fly with them. For awhile I aspired to be a Snowbird pilot, but that was short-lived when I found out that to be a Snowbird pilot requires years and years of military flying. Since a job in the military is probably dead last on my jobs-I'd-like-to-have list, I changed my dream from Snowbird pilot to passenger in a Snowbird plane. I even told my parents that if I ever got a life-threatening disease and was granted a wish by the Make a Wish Foundation I would ask for one of two things: 1) to play the amazing second act violin solo with the Phantom of the Opera orchestra or 2) to fly with the Snowbirds. (Of course I wasn't hoping to get a life-threatening disease, I just believe in making plans and being prepared for unexpected things in life.)

To this day, every time I watch the Snowbirds perform an air show, the dream of flying with them comes back to me as strong as ever. This summer they flew for the opening of a community festival in a town an hour away from my house. I convinced my parents that we should go see them and the three of us drove all the way there to watch a 15 minute show and then spent quite a long time at the airport watching mechanics check out all 11 planes and refuel the nine that flew in the show. (Only nine planes fly together, but there are two extras just in case something goes wrong with planes #1-9 while they're traveling around Canada.)

This evening I had a little time to catch up on some recent news. I happened upon an article by a cbc.ca columnist who lived out my dream yesterday. For your reading pleasure I've turned the awesome picture below into a link to the column just in case you're at all interested in learning more about this unique Canadian flying squadron.

Snowbird Demonstration Team flying over Niagara Falls
(photo credit: cbc.ca)

I'll probably never actually experience the flying-in-a-Snowbird dream of every patriotic Canadian aviation enthusiast, but that's OK. I can live out that dream, and many others as well, through the words of fellow writers. This is exactly why I love reading. I can be anyone or do anything or go anywhere because of writing. I only hope I learn to be as inspiring and dream-fulfilling with my own words. Oh, and I'm totally putting that Snowbirds calendar on my Christmas list!

Find more interesting Snowbirds info at their Web site.