THUNDER BAY — One of the Snowbird pilots flying over Thunder Bay this weekend will be very familiar with the skies.
Cpt. Steven Sparks, a four-year veteran with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, will be performing during this weekend's air shows in the same place that he learned to fly.
The Snowbird 6 pilot took the aviation program at Confederation College in 2011.
"It's exciting to be back," he said in an interview this week. "It feels like home."
Now, over a decade later the pilot is entertaining students questions while prepping for the first show of the year.
Sparks calls the ability to return to meet with current aviation students "surreal."
"I don't ever, not feel like a student, I'm always learning when it comes to flying," he said. "It's nice to see smiling faces and people that are happy to ask questions and I like answering them."
During his time at the college, Sparks met his wife while she was flying with Wasaya Airways and Bearskin Airlines.
However, Sparks has yet to introduce his teammates to the Thunder Bay delicacy that is a Persian.
The whole squad will be available for a meet and greet on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the market parking lot at Prince Arthur's Landing, after their noon air show.
