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.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) Introduction and Episode Overview(00:01:01) The Hidden Work Behind a Snowbirds Airshow(00:06:13) Flying a First Snowbirds Show in Quebec City(00:09:32) Common Misconceptions About the Snowbirds Demonstration Team(00:12:26) Training for Emergencies in a Nine-Jet Snowbirds Formation(00:14:16) How Snowbirds Prepare for Emergencies Before Every Flight(00:15:00) The Snowbirds Mission: Inspiration, Recruitment, and Public Engagement(00:16:04) Inspiring the Next Generation of Canadian Military Pilots(00:17:01) Why the Snowbirds Still Matter After 55 Years(00:17:56) What Makes a Great Snowbird Pilot?(00:19:12) How Pilots Are Assigned Their Snowbirds Positions(00:20:28) How Long It Takes to Build a Snowbird Pilot(00:21:07) The Hardest Skills to Teach a Snowbird Pilot(00:24:47) How Trust Is Built Inside the Snowbirds(00:27:08) Balancing Safety and Spectacle in an Air Demonstration Team(00:28:51) The Story Behind the Snowbirds Heart Maneuver(00:29:44) What Keeps a Snowbirds Commanding Officer Awake at Night(00:33:29) Why the CT-114 Tutor Was the Perfect Demonstration Aircraft(00:34:31) Did Anyone Expect the CT-114 Tutor to Fly for 63 Years?(00:35:38) Saying Goodbye to the CT-114 Tutor(00:37:31) What Canadians Underestimate About the CT-157 Siskin Transition(00:39:10) Lessons from the Red Arrows and Other Aerobatic Teams(00:41:19) The Strongest Argument for a Snowbirds Pause(00:43:25) What Canada Risks Losing During the Snowbirds Pause(00:45:51) The Hardest Snowbirds Skills to Rebuild(00:48:58) What Concerns Snowbirds Alumni Most(00:49:33) What the Snowbirds Alumni Association Wants to See Happen(00:54:24) What the Snowbirds Mean to Maryse Carmichael(00:55:18) What Canadians Should See in Nine Red and White Aircraft(00:55:38) The Legacy Maryse Carmichael Hopes the Next Snowbirds InheritCONTINUE THE FLIGHTMaryse’s story begins in Part 1, where she discusses flying the CT-114 Tutor, becoming the first female jet demonstration pilot, and her path to the Snowbirds. Snowbirds: The Pause Part 1: Flying the CT-114 Tutor and Becoming the First Female Jet Demonstration Pilot - Maryse CarmichaelMaryse mentioned our interview with Comd RCAF, Jamie Speiser-BlanchetCommand: The Future Force: Building a Fifth Generation Air Force - Jamie Speiser-Blanchet Maryse also discusses the challenge of preserving specialized aviation expertise during transition, a theme we explored in our SEEDCORN series. Long Range Patrol: The P-8 SEEDCORN Part 1Long Range Patrol: The P-8 SEEDCORN Part 2MORE SNOWBIRDS EPISODESMore Snowbirds episodesEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson conclude the story of the MSC Baltic III rescue, one of the most remarkable search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history.After battling through severe winter weather and discovering the vessel hard aground on Newfoundland's west coast, the crew of Rescue 901 faced a critical decision: evacuate the injured sailors as originally planned, or remove all 20 people from the ship before conditions worsened further.Join us as Pete and Greg walk through the rescue itself, including inserting SAR Techs onto the vessel, triaging injured crew members, coordinating multiple hoists in extreme conditions, and managing a rapidly evolving operation where every decision carried consequences. They also discuss the teamwork, preparation, and leadership that made the mission possible, along with the lessons learned from a rescue that captured national attention.This is the story of the rescue, the extraction, and bringing everyone home safely.CONTINUE THE FLIGHTIn Part 1, Pete Wright and Greg Hudson share their paths into the SAR community, the experiences that shaped them, and the lessons that prepared them for one of the most demanding missions of their careers.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-1-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonIn Part 2, Pete and Greg take listeners through the mayday call, the launch of Rescue 901, the transit through severe weather, and the moment they discovered the MSC Baltic III had run aground.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-2-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonHEAR MORE SAR EPISODEShttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=sarEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilotshttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson take us inside the opening hours of the MSC Baltic III rescue, one of the most challenging search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history.On the morning of February 15, 2025, the cargo ship MSC Baltic III lost power in a violent winter storm off Newfoundland's west coast. With winds exceeding 120 km/h, massive waves, and reports of multiple injuries aboard, Rescue 901 launched into worsening conditions knowing time was running out.Join us as Pete and Greg walk through the mission from the initial mayday call to the race across Newfoundland, the planning and preparation taking place inside the CH-149 Cormorant, and the moment they discovered the vessel had already run aground. They discuss the challenges of operating in extreme weather, adapting to rapidly changing information, and the decisions that set the stage for the rescue to come.This is the story of the scramble, the transit, and the race against time.CONTINUE THE FLIGHTIn Part 1, Pete Wright and Greg Hudson share their paths into the SAR community, the experiences that shaped them, and the lessons that prepared them for one of the most demanding missions of their careers.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-1-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonIn Part 3, Pete and Greg walk through the rescue itself, including the hoisting operation, evacuating all 20 sailors from the grounded vessel, and the lessons learned from the mission.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-3-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonHEAR MORE SAR EPISODEShttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=sarEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilotshttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson were part of the crew that helped rescue all 20 sailors from the grounded cargo ship MSC Baltic III during one of the most dramatic search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history.Before the mayday call, the winter storm, and the race against time off Newfoundland's west coast, there were years of training, operational experience, and lessons learned that prepared them for that moment.Join us as Pete and Greg share their paths into the Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue community, the challenges of becoming a CH-149 Cormorant pilot and SAR Tech, the importance of crew trust, leadership, mental resilience, and the realities of responding when people are having the worst day of their lives.This episode sets the stage for the MSC Baltic III rescue and provides a behind-the-scenes look at the people, training, and culture that make Canada's SAR community possible.CONTINUE THE FLIGHTIn Part 2, Pete Wright and Greg Hudson walk through the initial mayday call through their transit on-scene in a brutal winter storm and seeing that the ship was already aground.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-2-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonIn Part 3, Pete and Greg take listeners through the rescue itself, including the decision to evacuate all 20 sailors, the hoisting operation, and the lessons learned from one of the most remarkable SAR missions in recent Canadian history.https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-3-pete-wright-and-greg-hudsonHEAR MORE SAR EPISODEShttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=sarEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilotshttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes

Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight.

In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind.