The Pilot Project Podcast

Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Maryse Carmichael returns to discuss the Snowbirds, the retirement of the CT-114 Tutor, the planned operational pause, and the future of one of Canada’s most recognizable aviation teams.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Maryse explains what Canadians do not see behind a Snowbirds performance, from months of training and preparation to the trust, discipline, teamwork, and safety culture required to fly nine aircraft in close formation. She also shares powerful stories about the team's impact, including how one airshow inspired a future Snowbirds pilot.
Drawing on her experience as both a Snowbirds pilot and former Commanding Officer, Maryse reflects on the team's legacy, the risks of losing hard-earned expertise, and what she hopes the next generation of Snowbirds pilots will inherit.

(00:00) - Introduction and Episode Overview

(00:01) - The Hidden Work Behind a Snowbirds Airshow

(00:13) - Flying a First Snowbirds Show in Quebec City

(00:32) - Common Misconceptions About the Snowbirds Demonstration Team

(00:26) - Training for Emergencies in a Nine-Jet Snowbirds Formation

(00:16) - How Snowbirds Prepare for Emergencies Before Every Flight

(00:00) - The Snowbirds Mission: Inspiration, Recruitment, and Public Engagement

(00:04) - Inspiring the Next Generation of Canadian Military Pilots

(00:01) - Why the Snowbirds Still Matter After 55 Years

(00:56) - What Makes a Great Snowbird Pilot?

(00:12) - How Pilots Are Assigned Their Snowbirds Positions

(00:28) - How Long It Takes to Build a Snowbird Pilot

(00:07) - The Hardest Skills to Teach a Snowbird Pilot

(00:47) - How Trust Is Built Inside the Snowbirds

(00:08) - Balancing Safety and Spectacle in an Air Demonstration Team

(00:51) - The Story Behind the Snowbirds Heart Maneuver

(00:44) - What Keeps a Snowbirds Commanding Officer Awake at Night

(00:29) - Why the CT-114 Tutor Was the Perfect Demonstration Aircraft

(00:31) - Did Anyone Expect the CT-114 Tutor to Fly for 63 Years?

(00:38) - Saying Goodbye to the CT-114 Tutor

(00:31) - What Canadians Underestimate About the CT-157 Siskin Transition

(00:10) - Lessons from the Red Arrows and Other Aerobatic Teams

(00:19) - The Strongest Argument for a Snowbirds Pause

(00:25) - What Canada Risks Losing During the Snowbirds Pause

(00:51) - The Hardest Snowbirds Skills to Rebuild

(00:58) - What Concerns Snowbirds Alumni Most

(00:33) - What the Snowbirds Alumni Association Wants to See Happen

(00:24) - What the Snowbirds Mean to Maryse Carmichael

(00:18) - What Canadians Should See in Nine Red and White Aircraft

(00:38) - The Legacy Maryse Carmichael Hopes the Next Snowbirds Inherit

CONTINUE THE FLIGHTSnowbirds: The Pause Part 1: Flying the CT-114 Tutor and Becoming the First Female Jet Demonstration Pilot - Maryse Carmichael
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/snowbirds-the-pause-part-1-maryse-carmichael
Maryse also references our discussion with Jamie Speiser-Blanchet. Check out Command: The Future Force: Building a Fifth Generation Air Force - Jamie Speiser-Blanchet for a broader look at RCAF modernization, recruiting, readiness, and the future of Canadian military aviation.
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/command-the-future-force-jamie-speiser-blanchet
Maryse also discusses the challenge of preserving specialized aviation expertise during a transition period, a theme we explored in Long Range Patrol: The P-8 SEEDCORN Part 1 and 2.
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/long-range-patrol-the-poseidon-seedcorn-part-1-dylan-gilje-allan-and-matt-chretien
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/long-range-patrol-the-poseidon-seedcorn-part-2-dylan-gilje-allan-and-matt-chretien
MORE SNOWBIRDS EPISODES
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=snowbirds
EXPLORE THE LOGBOOK
More stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots
http://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes

Before she commanded the Snowbirds, Maryse Carmichael was a young Air Cadet from Quebec City with a dream of becoming a military pilot. That dream would eventually make her the first woman to fly with the Snowbirds - and the first woman to fly with any jet aerobatic demonstration team in the world.
In Part 1, Maryse shares her journey through Air Cadets, flight training in Moose Jaw, instructional flying on the CT-114 Tutor, operational flying with 434 Squadron, VIP operations with 412 Squadron, and serving in Bagotville during the post-9/11 years. Along the way she discusses Exercise RV92, flying with her brother, supporting the Prime Minister, and the experiences that shaped her leadership philosophy.

Maryse also reflects on earning a position with the Snowbirds, learning precision formation aerobatics, flying formation inverted, and eventually returning to command 431 Air Demonstration Squadron. It is a story of perseverance, trust, leadership, and one of the most remarkable careers in Canadian military aviation.
CONTINUE THE FLIGHT
Maryse mentioned our interview with Jamie Speiser-Blanchet. Check it out:
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/command-the-future-force-jamie-speiser-blanchet
If you're interested in another Snowbirds perspective, check out our interview with Blake McNaughton:
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/snowbirds-the-unexpected-path-blake-mcnaughton
HEAR MORE SNOWBIRDS EPISODES
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=snowbirds
EXPLORE THE LOGBOOK
More stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots
https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes

In Part 3, Captain Troy Clarke discusses flight instruction, standards flying, STARS Air Ambulance operations, and his decision to return to the RCAF after leaving military service.

Captain Troy Clarke shares incredible stories from his time flying the CH-149 Cormorant with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron, including North Atlantic rescues, fatigue lessons, operational pressure, and the realities of SAR flying.

Captain Troy Clarke shares his unconventional path into aviation, from growing up in rural Newfoundland to navigating early flight training struggles, 9/11’s impact on the industry, and joining the RCAF.

After earning his wings on fast jets, a serious in-flight decompression incident forced him to rethink his career and ultimately transition to helicopters.
This episode is all about persistence, setbacks, and finding your path in aviation.