Saying goodbye to the Buffalo
News Article / January 17, 2022
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Emily Lindahl, D Air PA
For pilots, crew, and maintenance personnel, the aircraft they fly or work on, becomes almost like a child. They get it ready to go in the morning, discover its quirks and learn how to get the very best performance out of it. Then, when all is done for the day, they get it ready for the night. They can move on, working with and flying other aircraft, but they remember each one.
But what happens when not just one, but every one of a specific kind of aircraft are retired from the Royal Canadian Air Force? As the RCAF CC-115 Buffalo are removed from service this month, several individuals shared their personal experiences involving the versatile aircraft. Their stories will be published here over the next two weeks.
The final operational flight took place out of Canadian Forces Base Comox on January 15, 2022. As part of this last flight, the 19 Wing crew flew a Search and Rescue (SAR) patrol over Canada’s western-most coast and the Pacific Ocean.
The ‘Buff’, a utility transport aircraft, has the ability to take off and land on the most rugged strips as short as a soccer field. It has played a critical role in supporting life-saving search and rescue missions. Able to parachute SAR technicians and drop rescue supplies and equipment, such as emergency food and water kits, sea rescue kits, pumps, and illumination flares, its agility and all-weather capabilities are well suited for the rough and mountainous terrain on Canada’s West Coast and in northern operations.
The Buffalo will be forever linked with Canada’s national Peacekeeping Day on August 9. The day was chosen to commemorate the contributions and sacrifices of Canadian peacekeepers because, on that day in 1974, a Canadian Buffalo aircraft serving on United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) II was shot down, with the loss of all nine lives.
Join us as we say farewell to the CC-115 Buffalo – share your stories and images on our social media sites.