SHOW UPDATE: Yesterday's performance of Wings Over Springbank air show was cancelled due to high winds but is set to start today with opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m.

Ticket's purchased for yesterday's show will be honoured today. With what appears to be better flying weather today, you can expect a huge crowd. Spectators are encouraged to use the free Park and Ride service from the Crowfoot LRT to avoid traffic congestion. With Cochrane being so close to the airport, though, many may opt to drive south on Hwy. 22 and turn east on to Township Rd. 250.

IN ADDITION TO THE AIR SHOW, the 50th anniversary of the Springbank Airport (YBW) is being celebrated. In advance of the show, a special presentation was made on behalf of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds to Bob Sartor, president and CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority. Making the presentation was Major Denis Bandet, a pilot who first learned to fly at the Springbank Airport, and is lead today's performance by the Snowbirds.

Since taking over the authority of the airport from Transport Canada in 1997, the Springbank Airport's role has expanded, he explains.

"I think it's role has amplified over the years. It has changed significantly," says Sartor. "When we took over management of the airport from Transport Canada what we did was moved all of our training schools that were on YYC at the International Airport here and that freed up a lot of runway time so we could grow for the citizens of Calgary."

"Importantly, when the pilot training came here, sort of an ecosystem of recreational and nonscheduled commercial flying took place and it built up into what is now the 10th busiest airport in the county."

While the airport was viewed as a reliever for YCW, it has grown to be far more over the years and can be viewed as a substantial economic driver in the Springbank area.

"This airport does training exercises with the military, it does training exercise with STARS and HAWCS helicopters. It acts as a base for water bomber refuelling during the wildfire season, so it's a really critical airport for the city."

It will continue to serve more than Calgary's needs. In fact, the authority's recently completed strategic planning anticipates the airport will be there for at least another 50 years.

"Canada, like the rest of the world, is suffering from a severe pilot shortage for commercial flying. This airport trains an awful lot of pilots and that's a really important thing for Springbank. It's the primary reason it exists."

YBW operates 24 hours a day. Its tenants occupy more than 50 hangars, and the airport is home to more than 400 aircraft.

The airport currently has two runways. Runway 17/35 is a 5,000-foot runway oriented north/south and was lengthened from 3,000 ft. in 2006 to better support larger airplanes. Runway 08/26, 3,423 feet in length, runs east/west.