Ballet stars of the sky

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Dazzling thousands of spectators, nine jets shoot into the sky and perform risky manoeuvres with a grace worthy of the world's greatest ballet stars. Sometimes they imitate the flight of migratory birds or form a diamond, a square or a heart. Sometimes they cross each other three on one.

The pilots of these CT-114 Tutor jets belong to the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Snowbirds. To join the famous team, pilots must have logged at least 1,300 hours at the controls of a military jet.

During the acrobatics, thanks to their exceptional skills and sang-froid, the pilots manage to maintain a distance of scarcely 1.2 metres between their aircraft while travelling at speeds of up to 750 kilometres per hour. Each year, the Snowbirds participate in some 65 air shows throughout North America.