Below is the link to a fantastic show that has been aired on Discovery Canada. Just watched the last episode tonight and I've got to say that it's by far the best Fighter Pilot Documentary that I've seen yet.
The series follows eight pilots as they attempt to become CF-18 Fighter pilots over the course of the nine month program. It is on location at the 410 Cougars Fighter Squadron in Cold Lake Alberta and has some fantastic footage.
Hopefully it will be on again and if nothing else it would be great to be able to purchase the series. Here is the link to the website:
Tailhook wrote:I take it you haven't seen Speed & Angels yet?
I have seen pretty much all of the prerelease clips which started over 3 years ago and slowly were added to as time went on. In fact I saved a bunch of the original ones and have them somewhere on disc. It looks very good and it would be cool to see the entire video. As I understand it the movie is being released today and you can order it now for June '08?
Do you ask this because you have seen both Jetstream (the series is about 8 to 10 episodes I believe) and Speed and Angels completely and are able to compare both of them side by side? Or are you asking having only seen the video clips of Speed and Angels and none of Jetstream?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:57 pm
by Lawndart
Follow 7 Canadian F-18 pilot trainees and see who can make the grade!
Thanks to SE for sharing this. I just finished watching the entire series. A real "snake"... Superior!
Videos in this playlist: 8
Total length: 6 hours (46 mins per episode)
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:18 am
by Grab
Well guess I'm not doing anything for the next 8 hours....
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:55 pm
by Lawndart
Did you finish yet? It took me two days (had to work).
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:25 pm
by Beaker
I've seen this series and Speed & Angels... both are good. Speed & Angels, in my opinion, is a better documentary. Jetstream is over-dramatized for TV.
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:05 pm
by Rhino
Got done watching it today. Thought the name "Jobin" sounded familiar so went back through my airshow pics. Sure enough, found it was his jet at the Quebec show I went to in '08, from the squadron at Bagotville.
Yanick "Crank" Gregoire (one of the instructors at 409 in the series) has been a member of the Snowbirds for the last 2 seasons, flying the first line astern position (#4). He was also the CF-18 demo pilot in 2007. If any of you VTB went to Nellis in 2007, he was the pilot.
Tim "Donor" Woods (instructor) was also a CF-18 demo pilot in 2009.
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:41 pm
by Lawndart
Some nice research there. So, "Crank" was at the 409 Sqn in the series (featured briefly at the end of Ep. 8 ), not 410 Sqn?
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:29 pm
by Rhino
Lawndart wrote:Some nice research there. So, "Crank" was at the 409 Sqn in the series (featured briefly at the end of Ep. 8 ), not 410 Sqn?
Typo. He was definitely with 410 Sqn. You can see the demo jet on the ramp during some of the show.
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:46 pm
by Grab
Finished it last night and I really enjoyed it. Sure it was a little over dramatized for TV, but no more so than any other show if its genre.
Seems like Canada gets all the cool aviation shows...
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:23 pm
by Frazer
Really cool documentary! Dramatized of course, but still not too bad.
I arrived at Ep. 8 (started last night ), thanks for sharing this Rock!
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:31 pm
by Ells
I have the Jetstream series on DVD (you can order for international shipping), and have had it for several years now since they aired it here in the UK.
One of the best series I've seen (UK Tornado and Typhoon series included) and also taught me a lot about combat flying.
