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Captain Adam Runge (c) stands with his CF-18 Demonstration Team crew at CFB North Bay following a practice run for their Armed Forces Day show on Wednesday.
Once again the folks at Wing 22/CFB North Bay and the city have put together a world class event to celebrate the brave men and women of the Canadian military.
Annual Armed Forces Day celebrations, which take place Wednesday, will be full of pageantry starting with over 150 military personnel marching from City Hall to the Waterfront and wrapping up with an air display of Canada’s mainline fighter, the CF-18 Hornet.
Pilot Captain Adam Runge, who spoke with local media Tuesday following a practice run, says the jet, which features very sophisticated equipment including a radar system, never fails to impress says both military personnel and the general public.
“It is Canada’s main defence fighter, it’s our only defence fighter and that’s the machine I will be flying tomorrow to show the crowd the capabilities of the Hornet,” he says of the CF-18 demonstration show.
He says it is important for people to have the opportunity to see the equipment that they pay for as taxpayers up close and personal.
He also has a good feeling that the weather will cooperate and spectators can look forward to a 16 to 20 minute acrobatic show.
“If I fly a lower show it could be longer. If I fly a high show there should be lots of vertical maneuvering the show will be a little bit shorter because I have to use more gas,” he explains.
Officials describe Armed Forces Day as an opportunity for everyone to connect with our local military members and celebrate their cultural diversity and unique personality.
“These brave men and women will be recognized for the role they play in maintaining our safety and freedom, and reinforcing our country’s reputation for leadership, compassion, and the willingness to preserve what is right.”
The event gets underway at the Waterfront at 11:00 a.m.
