Witness the Jaw-Dropping Takes-off CF-188A Hornet at RIAT 24!

#riat24
The RCAF CF-18 Demonstration Team last appeared at the Air Tattoo in 2018 flying a specially painted Hornet to commemorate 60 years of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and won the RIAT Chief Executive Trophy for their impressive displays. For RIAT 2024, the CF-18 Demonstration will once again be performing in the flying display at the Air Tattoo, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. The display aircraft will be adorned in a special paint scheme for the occasion.

[@jimt9261]

Now THAT'S what a air display should look like! Exciting, dynamic, entertaining, skilful. I'm really impressed by the F18 also. I didn't realise it could do such things.

[@cliffordmunro3977]

Go Canada!, haven't said that in a while.......

[@owensthilaire8189]

That's because they usually have the same ordinance load as a world war two heavy bomber strapped to them.

[@CaseyHowdenPhoto]

You should see what the Fins do with theirs!

[@tigerpjm]

You can do all sorts of things when you don't have a bag or three of avgas hanging off ya. But, yeah, in clean configuration in a one-circle dogfight, there really isn't a whole lot out there than can beat a Hornet. It can point its nose at crazy angles...

[@crushingvanessa3277]

It's nice to hear something good said about the CF-18 for once.

[@Triple87]

Preach. When they’re gone, people will miss them.

[@crushingvanessa3277]

@@Triple87 Unfortunatly it takes that to make people look. Look at the F-4, F-8 and F-14 for example. I know they have a service life but they can always be built.

[@Triple87]

@@crushingvanessa3277 People always give their flowers after it’s too late. It was a breath of fresh air watching the people in the UK genuinely enjoy our demo team. The legacy hornet is, and will always be my favourite jet.

[@jonathonmcrae5671]

The Legacy Hornet is one badass aircraft, it might be old, but she's still mighty.

[@crushingvanessa3277]

@@Triple87 Cool that they liked it.

[@JohnInWaterdown]

Props to Tango and all the CF-18 Demonstration Team for a great presentation. The old girl (CF188A) still has some awesome dance moves left in her, with the right partner of course. Makes us proud. As always, very high quality camera work Elwyn. Thank you.

[@calvinnickel9995]

@GrimReaper-wz9me Who cares?

[@alainrouleau]

Just saying as a Canadian... Thanks! Spent five years in a CF-18 squadron as an Avionics technician. Being a fighter pilot is something else. They've always had my upmost respect. I had it easy as a guy on the ground. People see the airplane but as a pilot you need to be in tremendous shape. Seen all sorts of pilots with green faces after landing. They're like one step away from passing out. It's gruelling to be a fighter pilot and most people can't handle it. We had techs in our squadron who would go up in the back seat. Forget about this demonstration stuff... They would come back burnt and have to sleep for two days straight, lol. Gravity is brutal!

[@ElwynR]

Keep an eye on my channel, I will have them flying the mach loop on my channel soon 👌

[@roderickcampbell2105]

If you don't do what you do, they don't fly. And I'm sure you didn't have it easy. Respect to you and your comrade's. But ,yes, that was a very good pilot.

[@johnwhyte4931]

That is some of the best acrobatic flying I’ve ever seen. It was like an aerial ballet! Genius!

[@acsimpson2633]

@@johnwhyte4931 Excuse me sir, I rather think that it would be quite difficult to fit this display into the gymnasium with the other acrobats. Let’s go outside and watch some AEROBATICS shall we? 😁

[@-NiEr]

Best Hornet demo I've ever seen! Extremely skilled pilot! 👍👏😎

[@happycanayjian1582]

Not even close. Check out the crazy Finn’s flying from 2019. 😳 Now that man put the Hornet thru its paces. It should be said that the Finns have newer planes compared to Canada’s geriatric fleet and software permitting them to be flown to 9 Gs.

[@-NiEr]

@@happycanayjian1582 - I wrote "I've seen". I'll take a look at the Finn's - to..!

[@99unclebob]

@@happycanayjian1582 the jets the Finns fly do the flying for them, the do not possess the law skill Canadian fighter pilots do and i know pilots from 6 different countries retired that'll tell you that , my best friend is retired US air force and on training flights with Canadian pilots he will also tell you the Canadians are raw skilled pilots

[@hoghogwild]

@@happycanayjian1582 CF-18 demo jets have the 9 g limiter as well.

[@Modi_]

​​@@99unclebob explain to me how the jets do the flying for them? As former finnish f18 ground crew im curious on your theories 😂

[@carnaubawax9405]

Thanks for that video, Elwyn. As a Canadian it is nice to see our Demo bird up there, and winning best livery and the team won best solo jet display!

[@eligebrown8998]

That is a really nice paint job

[@ange1mom438]

Our Demo team are bloody amazing! Outstanding flying by RCAF, they might have older equipment but they know how to get the best performance out of that equipment. So proud of our pilots and crew. 🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦❤️ Amazing video Thank you🇨🇦❤️

[@katvb85]

My husband was on the team to bring them over 😀. So cool to get to seem them in action.

[@theodorecook5884]

Agreed 100 percent, the RCAF flies a much crisper/damazing demo than the USN legacy hornet demo teame did!

[@trvman1]

That was so close to a tail strike on takeoff.

[@TheTechnoPilot]

@@trvman1yep which is what makes precise rotation speed so critical and makes our team so accomplished.

[@airline3hum]

Thank you RCAF!

[@user-to5gf8my5i]

The Blue and White Demo aircraft through the Mach Loop is poetry in motion.

[@ElwynR]

I should have a video of it through the mach loop this weekend 🤞

[@andymustangflyer1528]

My outmost respect for this pilot. He must be a combination of a ballerina and the Hercules! Long Gs in tight knife-edge turns, a high altitude Cobra? And a trust vectoring ballet in an aircraft without trust-vectoring nozzles!!! Proud of our northern neighbors, bravo!

[@philipwilson4671]

I recently watched a video on The Fighter Pilot Podcast where he interviewed a test pilot that has flown the F-14, the legacy F-18C from the USMC, the F-18 E and F Super Hornet, F-15 C and E, and F16. He said in a phone booth dogfight he'd take the legacy Hornet every time. Elwyn, this video was spectacular! Thanks for sharing.

[@kpsig]

And guess what, the Mirage 2000 is even better at such dogfights.

[@jonathonmcrae5671]

Us Canadians love a Legacy Hornet dirty roll!!

[@stanstenson8168]

A lot of old US sailors will agree.

[@ravissary79]

Is the superhornet less capable of such?

[@stanstenson8168]

@@ravissary79 More capable, less sexy. Legacys just look better to me. And no, to answer your question. I was at NAF El Centro for three years. The winter home of the Blues. Legacys can out turn the Rinos. Just my option...

[@seanb6691]

I’m lucky enough to live in the area of Canada that the CF-18 demo team and the Snowbirds do their spring training, we get to see these guys fly twice a day for a few weeks and it’s always a blast. Great paint scheme this year too to celebrate 100 years of the Canadian Air Force!

[@ianjackson7515]

First time the Cannucks brought their Hornets to Mildenhall ((85 or 86 ?), they did that wheels out, take-off roll - My mates and I were right at the front, honestly thought we were all about to witness 'a very news-worthy incident' !! Cheers from NZ (again).

[@mk.s4023]

Would've thought that the thumbnail is some sort of clickbait had it not been your channel, and holy moly, that Canadian pilot is nuts.

[@JChristopherLittle]

exactly the same thought!

[@silviog.4211]

Those maneuvers are incredible, almost unbelievable! His trust in the airplane is absolute.

[@paulhaskins5191]

Superb display. Definitely one of the best solos I’ve ever seen.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Wow - thought those 'turkey feathers' were going to hit the ground on takeoff from the thumbnail. Guess +30K worth of afterburning thrust prevents that! LOL I'm old enough to remember as a kid when T-33, F-5, F-104 and F-101 were still flying around up here in Kanuckistan. When the CF-18 was introduced in 1983 it was a monumental upgrade for the Canadian Air Force. Still a magnificent aircraft 40 years later. Thanks for this great video! Cheers from Manitoba!

[@bax737]

The thumbnail appears to be doctored, which is unfortunate. The performance was impressive enough without needing to resort to those kind of tactics to generate views.

[@Jasperdog3329]

The plane takes off at 180 knots, no flaps, 8,000 pounds of fuel. In that state, it has a greater than 1:1 thrust to weight ratio and it is only going to climb much too fast to ever experience a tail strike.

[@hbieshe]

shall we just leave the 'flying the airplane' to the pilot?

[@Rick_Retired]

Absolutely breathtaking display of power and skills!

[@dondiakow6364]

Elwyn: You never disappoint and thank-you for your kind comments to us Canadians. Our boys are doing their best with what they get to fly and they give it their all.

[@christopherguy1217]

I love that aircraft. I spent 19 years on the software development for it. I was always impressed with the skills our pilots demonstrated every time they flew.

[@GrimReaper-wz9me]

Thank You, Sir! I saw my first CF-18 demo at the Abbotsford International Airshow way back in 1983. THIS was THE BEST CF-18 Hornet demo that I have EVER seen! And you captured it perfectly! Cheers!🇨🇦🍺

[@ElwynR]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks 👌

[@chriseddy9056]

Agreed, I've seen around 20 demos in person and after a 15 year gap of not seeing it the 2019 demo I saw knocked my socks off. Huge improvement over the previous years.

[@GrimReaper-wz9me]

@@chriseddy9056 Thank you very much for your reply! I find it difficult sometimes to be certain that I am being objective. But getting a bit of a RUSH while watching is always a good sign! Best Regards!🇨🇦🍺

[@chriseddy9056]

Yes the dirty roll on take off is routine for the Canadian demo but seeing it from this angle makes it look awesome, great filming Elwyn! There is a video of a twilight demo from Abbotsford I believe where it does look like the pilot was melting the runway with the blowers on take-off which is also incredible. I watched numerous Canadian demos in person from 1987-2005 then had a 15 year gap with no airshows in my area until 2019. They really have made the demo much more dynamic with high G/AoA maneuvers and over the crowd passes. It truly is one of the world class jet demos out there. It blew away the USAF F-16 demo I saw that same day.

[@carty1231111]

Thought the thumbnail had been altered, but no, absolutely zero margin for error there at all 😮

[@PaddyPatrone]

It is altered quite a bit...

[@R760-E2]

Me too, but that rotation WAS a damn near scuff the tailpipes event !

[@mgaphotography7736]

Yeah the thumbnail has been altered but the ground clearance at rotation is close to the mark and is impressive

[@Linska495th]

Most the thumbnails are altered here sadly.

[@YsDanny]

Somewhat exaggerated clickbait thumbnails.

[@grimblegromblethegnome]

Wow! Those were some high alpha maneuvers.

[@Laxa30]

Glad to see the Canadians are still putting in work with the older hornet variants. Such an incredible machine

[@mouser485]

I agree 100%. However, I expected that to be a Super Hornet but I’ve since found out that Canada decided not to buy any Supers. Cool livery on this jet

[@NewfieOn2Wheels]

​@@mouser485there had been a deal to pickup 18 super hornets as a stop gap until the F35s show up, but when Boeing and Bombardier got into their spat a few years on the commercial side, the Canadian government pulled the plug on the deal.

[@hoghogwild]

The whole fleet is being upgraded with the 36 lowest houred getting further upgrades including AESA radar and the latest in AMRAAM/Sidewinder/JSOW weaponry. They'll be flying until at least 3032. That's 50 years of service.

[@mouser485]

@@NewfieOn2Wheels Thanks for that info !

[@larrydugan1441]

​@@hoghogwildand the F35 will be 16 years old in 2032.

[@neilrobinson5115]

Capt Caleb Robert CAF,Brilliant,Great Filming.Upside down,Gear down just like Blue Angels.

[@JamesJoyce12]

Another good RMC Hornet driver for any of you who watched Jetstream in 2008.

[@SnowTiger45]

The Quinte Air Show (Trenton, ON) was awesome this year, especially on Sunday when the sky was far less cloudy. It was an excellent air show. I can hardly wait for the next one.

[@nancyholm2160]

It’s been a part of their routine for many years, I imagine there is a body of knowledge passed down from pilot to pilot on how to perform it safely. Not to mention that the show has to get the equivalent of a PDA every year.

[@HotelPapa100]

With that little of a margin of error, they have to adjust every single take-off for things like density altitude and wind. But then, once you know the relevant velocities, it's a safe, yet incredibly spectacular, thing to pull off.

[@MayhemCanuck]

100 Years for the RCAF, GREAT performance.

[@RPMZ11]

Great shootin GunnER.... God Bless the RCAF....100th Anny!🪶🍁⚔

[@bobmixon6021]

Damn… that was bad ass!

[@paulmoore4344]

Seriously impressive demo. Excellent video Elwyn 👍

[@tim7402]

Bravo Zulu, awesome near "bang the cans" takeoff !!! Send that man a large double double and an apple fritter too.

[@TheMack]

Love the F-18. Really dynamic show, keeping it tight, twisty and awesome!

[@damon9408]

I saw Tango put on this display at Selfridge ANGB last month. One of the best demos I've ever seen😊

[@jonathonmcrae5671]

That high speed pass showing the top of the jet was awesome

[@davidgeorge4113]

Amazing demo! The pilot is experiencing a very strenuous workout.

[@alexmx7775]

Had the honour of filming this jet while it was being painted in Cold Lake, Alberta! Super cool seeing it in action

[@ElwynR]

👌

[@malcolm4956]

🇬🇧fantastic pilot and display ❤ could not take my eyes 👀off. Best I’ve seen for a long time🇬🇧.

[@mikedittsche]

Beautiful livery, amazing flying, great show!

[@gerrycooper56]

Awesome display and a great video. Engine nozzles couldn’t have been far away from hitting the runway.

[@victormanuelpolanco922]

Still an smazing airframe and some very cool moves on. While the pilot was bold and skilled the legacy Horner never ceases to marvel with yet one more cool trick under its sleeve.

[@holywells]

WOW, Elwyn....absolutely the best video captures ever!! Bravo !!!

[@ElwynR]

Glad you enjoyed it 👌

[@Bushmasterpilot]

Excellent flying, this guy is pulling some G’s!

[@philchurch1115]

Navy 1982 to 1988 AZ2 VS-41 and VS-33 two west pacs and my squadron was based at North Island Naval Air base in San Diego Ca and I was on line watch after work and I noticed a F-14 coming out of rework with different color panels on it and the test pilot came down the runway and hit full after burners and went straight up for about 1000 ft..I will never forget it.

[@GrimReaper-wz9me]

@@philchurch1115 It's amazing how a brief encounter with a high performance military a/c can stick with us for the rest of our lives. There truly IS something very special about them & their crews. Thanks for Sharing!

[@-AV8R-]

One of the best things about this channel is the thumbnails actually match what was recorded. So many channels cut and paste images in an overly dramatic fashion and are happy with clickbaiting their viewers. Thank you for keeping it real!

[@BruteFM]

It is altered. The previous two with the F-15QA and Typhoon are altered, too.

[@mikea79]

Sadly this guy edits almost all of his thumbnails. Not massively but enough that it's annoying and any real enthusiast is turned off. Not sure why, he's an excellent photographer and goes to great locations and I've been subscribed to him for years, but he's clearly on a side mission to do whatever he can to gain subscribers and join the herd of disingenuous thumbnail hustlers on KZbin. Sad, just do it the right way Elwyn R, you are too good to behave like a Gen-Z youtuber.

[@BruteFM]

Yeah, the footage is excellent. And I get it. It's hard to get a real compelling thumbnail sometimes. It's a liiiiiittle bait-y but it's not outlandish, and the videos are always worth it.

[@scopex2749]

PIlot:......positive rate.......quick flick roll, vertical vetor climb out flaps up..............OH better stow those wheels now... SUPERB FLYING!

[@eligebrown8998]

You never realise the Hornet is no slouch in the sky until you go to an airshow. The can slow down to 89 mph and still stay flying. I think the f22 can go slower but still. That Canadian paint job looks cool.

[@OldPannonian]

Absolutely bloody amazing!

[@christopherfisher8748]

Wow bloody amazing

[@bgorveatt]

Canadians pilots are some of the best! They demonstrated that skill here and all the way back to WWII. They train with their fellow NORAD and NATO air forces to protect North America and Europe.

[@markever234]

Those legacy hornets are extremely agile

[@mmckee58]

That was outstanding photography, Elwyn R, on so many levels, both technical and physical, keeping the craft in the center and stable. Very easy to watch. Thank you for sharing your gift.

[@ElwynR]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@charlieross-BRM]

One move with CF-18s I used to see at CFB Borden air shows and elsewhere was they'd bring it down as if going to land, then pull up the nose but keep the aircraft maybe 10 or 20 feet of the tarmac in a tail stand and very slowly "walk" it part way down the runway and then climb vertical without changing that almost vertical tail stand.

[@jimsharer1167]

That pilot is on fire.

[@MauryMarkowitz]

Some time ago I was waiting for a plane in Halifax while there was an air show on. The CF demo takeoff was even more impressive than this one, if you can believe it. The same TO roll and super-high-alpha pull-up, but then he levelled off like two seconds later and immediately went into two blindingly fast aileron rolls so close to the ground I thought it was going to wing strike. Then pop, up go the gear and a square pull-up into a vertical. Damb, never seen anything so nuts until the F-22 came to Toronto a couple of years later.

[@anderselofson6966]

Beautiful airplane and awesome display!!

[@JustDarrenJ]

NOTHING but the best from Elwyn... Another gem!

[@Harley-D-Mcdonald]

When I was un 4th grade I got into trouble when a F-18 made an unscheduled low flyover while all the kids were waiting for the bus. I said as loud as I could " that's a fuckin F-18". Then when I was in the principles office the next day they were soo impressed that I accurately identified the jet that they just talked to me about my love for aircraft. 😅

[@jsj381]

He knows what he is doing leave to the professionals.

[@OHW313]

The F18 is fantastic !! I've seen one nose- up at about a 70 degree angle and literally 'walked' all the way around an airfield at a human walking pace , and then with full power launched itself into the sky and practically out of sight !?!😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😊😊😊😊😊

[@bobthebomb6498]

Bloody close to a tail pipe strike.

[@footix72]

Not a safe take-off.

[@dtrain1634]

Totally agree that was on if not well over the edge 😮

[@dtrain1634]

@@footix72couldn’t agree more- that was very much OTT 😮 I’m amazed the pilot didn’t get told to land. It’s one thing showing off- another destroying a jet 🛩️

[@footix72]

@@dtrain1634 One month ago the French Navy almost lost a Rafale M for the same reason : extreme showing-ff.

[@zakelwe]

Watching it frame by frame I don't think it was physically possible for a tail strike as the thrust was already pushing the plane upwards when the tail would have been closest to the ground. It's safer than a normal over rotation in effect due to that. They do have to make sure speed and thrust is spot on though I guess, someone worked out all the angle calculations.

[@dannileigh6426]

Gods do I ever love our legacy Hornets! I know they aren't the latest and greatest but they have served the RCAF extremely well for 40 years now. And even an old bird like her can dance in the skies like few others can. I fell in love with them seeing a CF-118 demo 30 years ago, the high alpha pass is one of the most amazing things I saw as a kid at airshows (next to Mig-29 and harrier). That livery is great too. The RCAF has had a number of great demo bird paint jobs. I still think the legacy hornets are the most beautiful birds. Watching the control surfaces is always neat. Both the super hornet and legacy look so good, especially in high alpha passes. I think some Rafale demos are the only western demo bird that puts on as good a show as hornets, both legacy and supers.

[@Coops777]

Sensational display. Great video thankyou

[@Tonetwisters]

I truly believe that the F-18 is the greatest jet fighter/aircraft ever built for all the things it can do, for the way it does them, and for the length of time it has been doing them.

[@jellowiggler]

❤ RCAF, from the Lancasters to the Hornets.....lets go!

[@ToddSauve]

The CF-18 and F-18 are the most beautifully proportioned jets I have ever seen. Just personal preference but they look gorgeous!

[@alankenney]

Elwyn R, thank you for all the great videos you posted. Greatly appreciated as I could not attend in person.

[@mcsmith732]

That is some gorgeous flying!

[@avionitoo]

Despegue increíble, sin duda el piloto ama el espectáculo. La mejor exhibición que he visto con un F-18 👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@ellisdee1233]

I was at the annual Canadian National Exhibition ( as usual 😀) on labor day weekend . ( Aug. 31 ,Sept 1st & 2nd ) Best CF-18 performance I've seen ! And living in Toronto , I've seen a lot of CF-18 demos .

[@tigerpjm]

Good to see the Australian Hornets enjoying retirement after all those years of hard work.

[@palco22]

Gotta love these twenty year old's and their flying machines !

[@Flange-lw9sp]

My father was a pilot and I once had the pleasure of seeing him barrel role just after takeoff. The airline bosses and passengers on his flight were not too happy though😅

[@tonyp1340]

Brilliant! Aircraft and Airman.

[@garethdyos8018]

Very nice display!

[@muhannad2910]

Beautiful video like every time, God 🙏 protect you brother

[@OldManPaxusYT]

🤯 Insane! the more you understand aerodynamics the more insane this is.... 😮

[@sumatai1]

That’s some talent right there!!

[@corrindion]

Fantastic as always! God…the stress on these planes must be enormous with all those “G” forces! Scary

[@EssexCountyPhoto]

Those planes need wheelie-bars !!! 😂 ... Awesome video & sound as usual. 👍🏻

[@pkjmfineart1593]

The pilot is probably playing a join the dots game with his other hand they are that talented. Lmao. Incredible skill, beautiful bird, spectacular filming.

[@bikeracer6045]

The Canadian 'dirty roll' ;)

[@stuartrollings602]

Howdy Big E ! Wow! Mesmerizing and beautiful to watch! Amazing take off! Love that paint as well! Thanks for the share! 🤠🇨🇱🦅

[@fredharrowven1040]

Good Evening Elwyn R, That was some display and a great take off one more great video thanks Elwyn R , Take care of yourself and stay safe, Till the next one.🛫🛫⭐️👍👌

[@RobertoEarnywho]

saw a CF-18 do this at an airshow in Manitoba 35 years ago Amazing .

[@ryanhogan359]

The CF-18 is still a formidable aircraft, and can take on ANYTHING that our potential enemies are flying!

[@thornscoop2]

Very nice display, thanks for the video:)

[@charrison787]

Best F18 Hornet Demo. Finland 🇫🇮 Canada 🇨🇦

[@catminos]

And swiss .

[@A.J.1656]

🤣

[@Alphipapi]

Décollage incroyable merci pour le partage et la qualité de la vidéo… as usual

[@dartmoordave]

Man, that was close to a tailstrike!.

[@Jasperdog3329]

The plane takes off at 180 knots, no flaps, 8,000 pounds of fuel. In that state, it has a greater than 1:1 thrust to weight ratio and it is only going to climb much too fast to ever experience a tail strike.

[@Del-Lebo]

The skill and strength to "toss" those machines around, like kids playing with toys, is massively impressive!!!

[@chrisleeks3890]

He slinging that Hornet ABOOT ❤ like a BMX bike, a loving every second of it 😁

[@ernestmcracken7114]

The video thumbnail was not just clickbait :D Amazing!

[@CallsignJoNay]

Unfortunately I think it was edited for clickbait. I can't find a frame in the video that matches it. Still a great demo, however. 👍

[@Virvum_Juggernaut]

Even when performed countless times with this capable aircraft and pilot, that takeoff still has to be considered dangerous within the industry. Fantastic display of manoeuvrability, skill and bravery. Edit : Still a beautiful looking jet fighter. Timeless design.

[@skinny1968]

Our pilots can really handle their aircraft. Pro patria 😊

[@OldPannonian]

Agree fully!

[@TheDjcarlos67]

Holy shit! That first 30secs is insane 😮

[@zulgadams5837]

What a beautiful jet, amazing skills too!!!!👍