Air show season

CT-114 Tutor: A jet trainer aircraft and long-time staple of the Snowbirds, the Tutor was designed and manufactured by Montreal-based Canadair, now a division of Bombardier Aerospace. The plane was first commissioned by the Canadian government in 1961. Used as a training jet, the Tutor was retired by the Canadian Forces in 2000, but still takes flight with the Snowbirds.

First flown: 1960

Top recommended speed: 763 km/h

Safety record: The Snowbirds have been involved in several mid-air incidents over the years, including six fatal crashes since 1972. Three of these occurred during air shows. The most recent fatality took place in May 2007 when Capt. Shawn McCaughey crashed during practice at Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana.
RCAF CT-114 website

BAE Hawk Trainer: The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force's aerial acrobatics team has flown the BAE Hawk since 1979. The Hawk replaced the Red Arrows Gnat, which the team had used since its inception in 1965. The manufacturer is Hawker Siddeley, which was a division of British Aerospace (1977-1999) and is now owned by BAE Systems (1999-present).

First produced: 1976

Top recommended speed: Mach 1.2 or 1,430 km/h

Safety record: The Red Arrows team has experienced several accidents since its formation and at least six pilot ejections since 1980. But it has not had a single fatal accident in over 4,000 shows. The most recent incident occurred in January 2007, when two planes touched nose-to-tip while flying over a base at RAF Scrampton in the U.K. No one was hurt and a team spokeswoman characterized the collision as a "minor incident."
Official RAF Hawk website

F/A-18 Hornet: The Hornet is the 9th model of plane employed by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Blue Angels. The Angels have used this multi-role fighter jet since 1986. Canada became the first international Hornet user when the first CF-18 Hornet was acquired in 1982. It is made by McDonnell Douglas/Boeing Northrop.

First flown: 1978

Maximum speed: Mach 1.8 or 1,814 km/h

Safety record: Since the group's inception in 1946, 24 pilots have died during air shows, but there have been only four incidents (two fatalities) since the introduction of the Hornet around 1990. The most recent accident occurred in April 2007 when Lt.-Cmdr. Kevin Davis crashed during an air show in Beaufort, S.C.Official website

F-16 Fighting Falcon: This lightweight fighter is used by 25 different countries, although it was first developed for the U.S. Air Force and has been the primary aircraft of the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds aerobatics team since 1982. It is made by General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin.

Maximum speed: Mach 2 or 2,460 km/h

First flown: 1974

Safety record: The Thunderbirds introduced the F-16 after a disastrous crash involving the group's Northrop T-38 Talon in 1982. Four pilots were killed after colliding while flying in the group's diamond formation.

The Thunderbirds have experienced just two accidents since premiering the F-16 in 1983, neither of them fatal. The most recent was in 2003 when Capt. Chris Stricklin's plane failed to pull out of a dive. Stricklin ejected with 0.8 seconds to spare, and while the plane was destroyed, he suffered no serious injuries. Official website

HAL Dhruv: HAL's Dhruv (Sanskrit for "Pole Star") is a military helicopter and the craft of choice for Sarang, the aerobatics team of the Indian Air Force. The manufacturer is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Maximum speed: 280 km/h

First flown: 1992

Safety record: Sarang has used the Dhruv since its creation in 2003 and recorded its first fatal crash in 2007, during a rehearsal for the Aero India show in February. One craft crashed on the airfield, killing one pilot and injuring another. Official website