2006
Wings and Wheels Niagara
26-27 August 2006
The fourth Wings and Wheels Niagara air show and car display was held at the Niagara District Airport, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, on the last weekend in August. The constantly changing weather conditions, which can be unsettled at this time of the year, couldn't stop the air displays on Saturday but did dictate a low show by the high performance types.
Note: All photos on this page © Philip A. Tachauer
The rather unique paint job on this taxiing CASA 212-200 belies the fact that its day-to-day aerial activities were, at the time, conducted in support of the Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre's Canadian Parachute Centre at CFB Trenton, Ontario. It was used as a jump platform for parachute training by the CPC and by the Skyhawks, the CF Parachute Team that, despite the weather, managed to get a few jumpers out early in the air show. The aircraft, N497CA, is part of a mixed fleet operated by Fayard Enterprises as jump platforms for sport parachuting and skydiving clubs and enthusiasts.
Painted in the traditional yellow and blue applied to the powered aircraft and gliders of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, Bellanca 8GCBC Scout C-GQSC gets airborne with glider tow rope attached. A short demonstration by the aircraft and an RCAC Schweizer glider followed.
The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 is anything but silent during an air show demonstration as CF-18A 188720 passes the half-way point in the 'dirty' roll. Maintenance on the 2006 CF-18 demo aircraft necessitated the use of a regular example from the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron flightline at 3 Wing CFB Bagotville, Quebec.
With smoke on and all as it should be, Julie Clark tucks up the landing gear of Free Spirit to begin her show. The highly polished and specially modified Beechcraft T-34A Mentor, N134JC, was a trainer with the US Air Force in another life.
Snowbird 1 and Team Lead, Major Ian McLean, in Canadair CT-114 Tutor 114009, rolls out on a safe landing following multiple bird strikes that curtailed the Snowbirds performance.