Photo: Mike Biden

File Photo

Look to the skies Thursday at noon to see the Canadian Forces Snowbirds jets fly home.

The team of military aerobatics planes that have been grounded in Penticton since July shared on social media that they will be heading home to Saskatchewan.

The planes never got to fly for the Penticton Peach Festival or any other scheduled appearances this year after a crash in Fort St. John involving one of the jets prompted an immediate inquiry and required the rest of the fleet to stay out of the air.

Most of the jets were already at the Penticton airport ahead of an anticipated Peach Fest performance and after the accidents, the Snowbirds have remained in town ever since.

The Snowbirds stated that last week that after an exhaustive investigation, the jets have been cleared to fly. The aircraft that crashed did so due to engine failure, as a result of "an improperly assembled oil filter," according to investigation findings.

While the aircraft was severely damaged after the pilot made an emergency landing, they luckily walked away with no injuries.

"The investigation is now analyzing the human factors that may have contributed to this occurrence," reads the preliminary inquiry.

All the remaining airshows have been cancelled for this season.

The team is taking the jets home to re-train and get ready for the 2023 air show season.

Photo: Royal Canadian Air Force

The crashed Snowbird in Fort St. John