Skip to content

B.C. pilots to fly over Vancouver in tribute to Snowbirds victim

“Operation Backup Inspiration”
21585298_web1_200519-RDA-B.C.-pilots-to-fly-over-Vancouver-in-tribute-to-Snowbirds-victim-plane_1
A group of B.C. pilots flew in tribute to the victim of a deadly Snowbird plane crash, in a May 18, 2020 story. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

VANCOUVER — A group of B.C. pilots took to the skies as a tribute to the victim of a deadly Snowbird plane crash in Kamloops.

Dubbed “Operation Backup Inspiration,” a nod to the Snowbirds event which was called Operation Inspiration, 35 pilots departed from Abbotsford Airport, flying over Metro Vancouver.

The event lists strict rules, such as no formation flying, to ensure safety during the memorial.

The B.C. General Aviation Association, which is running the event, says the memorial will “pick up where the Snowbirds left off.”

Captain Jenn Casey, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces, died in the incident in Kamloops on Sunday.

Sunday’s crash happened the same day the Snowbirds were scheduled to make a trip from Kamloops to Kelowna aimed at boosting the morale of Canadians struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report was first published by the Canadian Press on May 18, 2020.