Princeton is a small community in the Similkameen area of southern British Columbia with a population of about 2700 people.
View of Princeton and the Princeton airport (CYDC) from the south
To attract more people to the town and to increase its profile, the town council has decided to host an annual air show. Ray Jarvis, after whom the new terminal building is named, was the driving force behind all of this.
Princeton Air Show 2011: visitors on the main ramp before the flying displays begin. The new terminal building can be seen in the background
This year the town organized the 4th annual air show at the local airport (CYDC-YDC) which is located just north of town at an elevation of 2300ft. The airport has a 3932ft paved runway (04/22), Avgas and jet fuel (self-serve / credit card), a new terminal building (2010) and even a courtesy car for visiting air crews.
Next to the paved main apron there is a fairly large area for all the visiting airplanes. This year - due to the rather marginal weather - there were way less fly-in visitors than last year.
2011 was the first time I visited the air show and I was really impressed by what was offered by this small community and on this small airport – it’s great to see that people with a vision can pull off something like this! . . . and the $5 cover charge is a real bargain.
Before the performers take to the skies, the public is allowed to see the planes from up close and to talk to the pilots who fly them, something you rarely see at the larger shows.
The flying display started with the SAR-demo with the CH-149 Cormorant 149907, c/n 50090, built in 2003.
Unfortunately the weather did not fully co-operate and the show was interrupted by a major downpour about halfway through. As you can see in the pictures, the light was not at its best and it was hard to get good shots – especially during the display flights.
Two of the four T-6 Texans taxi out in front of the T-28 Trojan to the runway for take off for their performance. The small apron made for tight space for the aircraft on the ground - and no taxiways, so everyone had to back-track on the active.
My favorite planes at the air show were the Lockheed L.12A Electra Junior (NC14999, c/n 1252, built in 1938) and the WACO AQC-6 Cabin Biplane of the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC (CF-CCW, c/n4646, built in 1937). Compare the two planes – which are of the same vintage! – and have a look at the completely different technology applied. The good, old, traditional fixed-gear steel-frame and fabric WACO bi-plane and the shiny all-metal, low-wing, slick, retractable-gear twin-engine airliner – what a jump in development! But then, I am way more of a “Civilian Guy” than a “Warbird Aficionado”.so I shall not forget all the other goodies . . .
On the visitor parking apron the following interesting aircraft were present:
Helicopters:
C-GMVR Eurocopter EC-130-B4, c/n 4318, 2007 of Atom Helicopters
C-GMPN Aerospatiale AS350 B3 c/n 3072, 1998 of the Govt. of Canada – RCMP
L.12 Electra Junior and a Nanchang CJ-6 wait for their turn to back-track for take off while one of the T-6 Texans returns from its display
General aviation:
C-FIYH, Stinson 108-3, c/n 108-5065, 1948, private, in fake ‘Buffalo’ colors
CF-EZI, North American Navion, c/n NAV-4-399, 1946, private, in UF Air Force colors
C-GCJJ, Cessna 177B Cardinal, c/n 177-01974, 1974, private – promoting CASARA
C-GPFZ Grob G-120A, c/n 85056, 2010, – demo aircraft
Aero Vodochody L.29 Delphin C-GGRP, c/n 093705, built 1970 and T-6 Harvard C-FSPC, c/n CCF4-145, built 1952 show their program. The L.29 did nor land at Princeton and returned to Kelowna after the flight demo.
All four T-6 Texans / Harvards fly their routine in front of some really black clouds on one side and an appreciative crowd on the other . . .
Air show participants:
149907 Eurocopter CH-149 (EH-101) RCAF-SAR
NC14999 Lockheed L.12A Electra Junior
CF-CCW WACO AQC-6 Cabin Biplane
C-GIKT Pitts S-2B
One of the aerobatic displays was flown by this Pitts S-2B C-GIKT, c/n 5084, built in 1985. Even though the Pitts are not the latest in aerobatic design, they always fly a very pleasing routine.
C- FZXS Harmon Rocket II
C-GLOK Harmon Rocket F1
N8539A North American T-28D Trojan
N75485 Nanchang CJ-6A
C-GOAC Nanchang CJ6A
CF-GME North American T-6 Harvard
N97TR North American AT-6C
C-FSPC North American T-6 Harvard
N4802E North American AT-6A
C-GGRP Aero Vodochody L.29 Delphin (air only)
The North American T-28D Trojan N8539A, c/n 51-3627, built 1950, presented a great demonstration of its capabilities, with a variety of slow and dirty, fast and clean passes
So, this is a great place to go if you like an ‘intimate’ experience. Not that many planes, but also not many people. We all have to support events like this one – or else, they will disappear. I already marked my calendar for next years event:
PRINCETON AIR SHOW 2012 ON JULY 21
This North American T-6 Harvard CF-GME, c/n 07-144, built 1941, belongs to the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC and can see at most airshows in western Canada.
One of the two Nanchang CJ-6A, N75485, c/n 3151224, built 1976, at the air show. He performed together with the other Nanchang and was very much appreciated by the crowd.
The Canadian Museum of Flight had two planes at the show and they performed together towards the end of the flying display. Here we have CF-GME and CF-CCW, WACO AQC-6 Cabin Biplane, c/n 4646, built 1937, during a nicely performed low pass over the field.
The Lockheed L.12A Electra Junior, NC14999, c/n 1252, built 1938, was not flying as part of the air show display, but she made a few passes before returning to their home base in Washington State. The clean lines of this aircraft really impressed me and the deep sound of the 'round engines' were music to my ears!
For more short information clips about aviation go to my facebook page at facebook.com/aeropics
For a full selection of pictures of airplanes go to my web-page at aeropics.ca