Proud of our SkyHawks

Dear Editor: The Canadian Parachute SkyHawks demonstrating team put on a show in Penticton last night.

Several years ago, the U.S. Army parachute demonstration team was invited to make several demonstration jumps throughout Japan by the local U.S. base commander.

The parachute commander replied that his army jump team would only do it if the base commander would fly his team to Japan to and back commercial air first class.

The USAF base commander didn’t have the budget for this extravaganza, so someone on his staff suggested that he call the Canadian Forces SkyHawks.

That began a very interesting story about international co-operation in military aviation. The SkyHawks immediately agreed to fly to Japan.

The U.S base commander then gave them the catch. They would have to fly and return in a Coast Guard C-130 Hercules search and rescue aircraft.

The Canadians said, “that’s OK, we fly and jump out of our Hercs several hundred times annually.”

After a few administrative details were worked out, the SkyHawks were on their way to Japan.

A Coast Guard Herc picked up the Canadians at CFB Edmonton. Next stop was the USAF base at Anchorage, Alaska for refuelling and aircrew change. Two hours out of Anchorage, the heater in the cargo bay broke down at 35,000 feet. The temperature in the cargo bay rapidly began to drop towards minus 50 F.

The pilot gave the SkyHawks a choice: return to Anchorage for two-day layover while a heater unit was flown in from the States or alternatively the aircraft carried 30 complete sets of winter survival gear on board. Would they be willing to put on the arctic gear?

They replied, “You bet, we jump out of our Hercs in the winter at minus 90 F degrees.” Next stop Japan. For two weeks, the SkyHawks jumped all over Japan in their traditional red-andwhite parachutes displaying their 450 square foot Canadian flag. The Japanese people were absolutely thrilled to have the Canadians jumping out of U.S aircraft throughout their country.

The SkyHawks were a huge hit. Public relations wise, the exercise was simply fantastic.

My cousin Tom, now retired from the army, was on that SkyHawk tour.

Ernie Slump, Penticton