Strana 39
CANADA 2002
maple symbols when it‘s pointed out to me that
the leaf in the front of the canopy is actually
splattered blood as an imitation of a bird strike.
This guy thinks of everything!
The next day, the weather was nice, so we
went for it. Takeoff was in pairs and I didn’t
have a camera. I asked my instructor and
he didn‘t look very enthusiastic, pointing out
that we would be far from each other anyway
and that a foreign object in the cockpit could
do a lot of damage, so I left it at home. It‘s
a shame, but if you don’t ask, you don’t find out,
right?. We flew wing to wing into the zone to
initiate the exercise and I regret the absence of
a photo, because everything was so beautifully
lit, with lakes and rocks below us. Stoner
ordered the cadet in each setup what will
follow and monitored his actions during the
flight. Sometimes he wrote something down
on the notepad on his knee.
When he is satisfied, we disengage and head
back to base. Stoner turned over the controls
to me and for twenty long minutes the bird is
all mine. Compared to our training aircraft, the
L-29 Delfin and the L-39 Albatros, I appreciate
the higher engine thrust and shorter
acceleration time. The plane has a swept wing
and accelerates readily and noticeably after
pushing the throttle forward. The view from
the cockpit is good, from the rear cockpit as
well, and Stoner lets me fly even at an altitude
of around 300 feet. It seems to me that the
Hornet hangs well in the air. I tried a few light
maneuvers before we found ourselves just
above the airport and I also tried a few low
passes over the imitation runway. The weather
was beautiful, completely clear and all around
you could see beautiful lakes covered in snow,
a few straight long roads stretching off before
disappearing in the distance. The terrain here
is relatively flat, so it is ideal for flights at
low level. When I goofed up, the instructor
corrected my course to the base and let me
fly until landing. He gave me the recommended
approach speed, he dropped the landing gear
and flaps himself. The plane was stable even
in a landing configuration and I had no trouble
flying this phase of the flight. The runway was
approaching, and in our last meter, I trimmed
and let the throttle there, afraid that the plane
might ‘fall’. The plane flies stretched out just
above the ground, Stoner reported that we
were about a centimeter above the ground,
but the plane just doesn’t want to land. About
a third of the way down the runway, he finally
cracked and took over the controls - we were
now about half way down the runway, but
the runway is over 3 km long and he told me
that we would better to repeat the circuit.
He made a tight circuit and sat down, by himself.
I remember a comment from a colleague
who, while soaking in the landing, about the
‘fucking Czech landing’. As mentioned earlier...
another country. After unstrapping and getting
out of the plane, the necessary photo in front
of the Canadian maple tree sign and off to
someplace warm. Stoner was satisfied with
my performance, laughed at the landing and
added that he would let me solo if I learned to
ease up on the throttle!
The eight Hawks were operated by
a civilian company, Bombardier, with about
forty employees. The 419th Squadron had its
apron and buildings at the other end of the
airport, away from the hangars of the 409th
and 410th Hornet Squadrons. There was, and
is, an extensive runway system at Cold Lake
and it is used to ensure smooth operations for
all squadrons based there, including the test
and experimental squadrons, which used both
the older Silver Star and Tutor aircraft and the
newer Hornets.
The CF-188 aircraft were chosen in 1980,
and 138 were delivered between 1982 and 1988.
Only 80 aircraft were upgraded in two phases.
The first phase was to include new software,
radios, transponders, GPS, new displays, and
night vision devices in 2001-2006. The second
phase was to include data links, defense
electronics, flight data recorders, and helmet-
mounted displays in 2006-2009.
Weapon systems should include advanced
multi-purpose infrared sensors, advanced
AMRAAM and ASRAAM guided missiles, and
precision munitions.
Cold Lake - this is the right place for the
entire history of post-war aviation. You can
admire all the types that saw service with the
RCAF. Extremely friendly people everywhere.
I just randomly remember a young local barber
when I was admiring a framed pic of a Hornet
in his window. He came out and surprised by
my interest and my background, I finally left
with the picture back to my room. The month
flew by much too quickly, only memories and
hundreds of photos remain. You can also enjoy
a few of them here, and I hope you do.
INFO Eduard
39
September 2026
An example of the patina typical of all Canadian Hornets, mainly traces of graphite oil from the weapon pylons.
A Tutor in the AETE experimental flight hangar at CFB Cold Lake. In the back right is a CT-133 Silver Star
Mk.3 modified for ejection seat testing.