Celebrating 47 Years

The History of 878 Squadron

878 Banff/Canmore Squadron is located in Canmore Alberta 116km (76miles) west of Calgary in the Canadian Rockies. Our squadron was chartered on 1 July 1980 and is the only cadet organization in the Bow Valley covering the townships of Canmore, Banff, Exshaw, MD of Bighorn, Morley, and Lake Louise. Currently having a strength of 28 cadets, 4 officers, 2 CIV’s, and numerous volunteers.

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As part of our 47th year and in preparation for our 50th anniversary, we are asking the wider community to submit information to build our knowledge of the history of 878 Banff / Canmore Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. If you have any photos, tales, or anecdotes, please share them with us.

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878 Banff/Canmore Air Cadet Squadron

Since its inception, 878 Banff/Canmore Air Cadet Squadron has built deep roots across the Bow Valley. The unit is jointly sponsored by three local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion:

Branch #3 Three Sisters (Canmore)
Branch #26 Colonel Moore (Banff)
Branch #179 Heart Mountain (Exshaw)

Backed by dedicated cadets, well-trained staff, and committed sponsors, 878 Squadron maintains a strong esprit de corps and a history of excellence.

Major Achievements & Awards

Award Level	Recognition	Years Earned
Provincial	Top Rural Air Cadet Squadron in Alberta	1984–1985, 1986–1989, 1989–1990
Provincial	Top Air Cadet Squadron in Alberta	1985–1986, 1990–1991, 1992–1993, 1998–1999, 2007–2008
Regional	Top Squadron – Calgary Training Group (14 Units)	2009–2010, 2010–2011, 2012–2013, 2015–2016
Prairie Region	Top Air Cadet Squadron (96 Units across AB, SK, MB, NW ON)	2010–2011

Individual Honours: Five cadets have been named Top Air Cadet in Alberta. A junior cadet also earned the national Nikki Keddie Award as the Top Junior Male Biathlete in Canada.
Biathlon & Music: Established in 1997, the biathlon team consistently earns podium finishes at Zone, Provincial, and National competitions. The squadron band, formed in 1996, continues to be a core element of unit life.
Historic Milestone: During the 1988 XV Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, 878 Squadron raised and lowered the Olympic Flag during Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and assisted at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
Freedom of the Town: In September 2010, the Town of Canmore granted the unit Freedom of the Town, a tradition honoured through annual marches and public open houses.

Flying Alumni Wall of Honour & Aviation Legacy

Since its formation in 1980, 878 Banff/Canmore Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron has maintained an extraordinary legacy of aviation excellence. Operating out of the Bow Valley—sandwiched between Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park—the squadron has provided hundreds of local youth with hands-on leadership, survival training, and pilot ground school education.

The centrepiece of 878 Squadron’s achievements is its Flying Scholarship Program. Through rigorous academic testing, physical fitness evaluations, and competitive selection boards administered by the Air Cadet League of Canada and the Department of National Defence (DND), 878 cadets have consistently earned coveted seats on the Glider Pilot Scholarship (GPS) and Power Pilot Scholarship (PPS).

To date, 878 Squadron alumni have earned dozens of flying wings, taking their first solo flights over the Canadian Prairies and converting cadet scholarships into distinguished careers in military aviation, commercial flight, and aerospace engineering.

Featured Alumni Spotlights

Major Taylor Evans | Class of 2000 (Glider) & 2002 (Power)
- RCAF Fighter Pilot | US Navy Exchange Aviator | Snowbird 9
- Major Taylor Evans represents one of the most prominent military aviation success stories originating from the Bow Valley. After earning both his Glider and Power Pilot wings through 878 Squadron, Major Evans joined the Canadian Armed Forces and earned his Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilot wings in 2006.
- After completing fighter lead-in training at 4 Wing Cold Lake, his military career took him across North America:
  - U.S. Navy Exchange (2014–2017): Qualified on aircraft carriers and served as an instructor pilot on the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet.
  - 431 Air Demonstration Squadron (The Snowbirds): Flew as Snowbird 9, performing precision aerobatics at airshows across Canada and the United States.
  - 4 Wing Cold Lake: Served as a Squadron Standard Officer, instructing the next generation of RCAF fighter pilots on the CF-18 Hornet.
- In January 2025, Major Evans brought his career full circle by executing a low-pass CF-18 Hornet flyover at 500 feet over his hometown of Canmore during national Hockey Day in Canada celebrations—a proud moment for 878 Squadron and the entire Bow Valley community.

Daniel Fitzgerald | Class of 1995 (Power), 1996 (Glider) & 1997 (Power)
- Cadet Leader | Military History Preservationist
- During his time as a senior cadet officer at 878 Squadron, Daniel Fitzgerald achieved the rare distinction of earning multiple flying wings while demonstrating exceptional leadership and civic dedication.
- In 1995, Fitzgerald led a year-long community initiative to research, design, and erect a permanent memorial cairn near Cochrane/Airdrie. The monument honors World War II RCAF airmen and a local schoolteacher involved in a tragic 1941 training crash under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). His dedication to preserving Canada’s aviation history was formally recognized by the Bomber Command Museum of Canada and national media, embodying the core cadet values of citizenship, leadership, and heritage.

P. Dawe | Class of 2019 (Flying Roster)
- Aerospace Entrepreneur & Tech Innovator
- Representing the modern era of 878 aviation alumni, Pierre Dawe translated his cadet flight training and technical discipline into aerospace engineering. He co-founded Aurora Fluid Systems, an aerospace technology venture operating out of Calgary’s Aerospace Innovation Hub, pioneering advanced fluid dynamics and systems engineering for modern flight technologies.

C. Van Dorsten | Class of 2015 (Glider) & 2016 (Power)
- RCAF Recognized Wings Recipient
- Catherine Van Dorsten earned her Glider Pilot Wings in Gimli, Manitoba, followed by her Transport Canada Private Pilot Licence in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, under the DND / Air Cadet League Flying Scholarship program. Her flight precision and academic performance were formally recognized by the RCAF Flight Commander at 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2 CFFTS) in Moose Jaw.

D. Montgomery | Class of 2008 (Glider) & 2009 (Power)
- AFAC Top Alberta Cadet Awardee
- Following her dual scholarship completions, WOII Dakota Montgomery earned 2nd place for the prestigious Air Force Association of Canada (AFAC) Top Alberta Air Cadet Award, presented by 783 Calgary Wing in recognition of provincial aviation leadership.

878 Squadron Flying Scholarship Roster (1982–Present)

Year	Cadet Name	Rank	Scholarship Type
1982	Souter	Flight Sergeant	Glider (Solo)
1983	VanderLee	Flight Sergeant	Glider (Solo)
1984	Weighell	Sergeant	Glider (Solo)
1986	Weighell	Warrant Officer II	Power
1988	Sterchi	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1989	Macullo	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1990	Sterchi	Warrant Officer I	Power
1990	Souter	Warrant Officer II	Power
1990	Hughes	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1991	Hughes	Warrant Officer II	Power
1991	Hanna	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1992	Weighell	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1993	Weighell	Warrant Officer II	Power
1993	Hansen	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1993	Timmins	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1994	Clake	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1995	Fitzgerald	Flight Sergeant	Power
1995	Zilligen	Warrant Officer II	Power
1996	Fitzgerald	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1997	Fitzgerald	Warrant Officer II	Power
1997	Hansen	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1998	Hansen	Warrant Officer II	Power
1998	Rattie	Flight Sergeant	Glider
1999	Rattie	Warrant Officer II	Power
1999	Schneider	Sergeant	Glider
2000	Schneider	Flight Sergeant	Power
2000	Evans	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2000	Pavone	Sergeant	Glider
2001	Pavone	Flight Sergeant	Power
2001	Jacob	Sergeant	Glider
2002	Evans	Warrant Officer II	Power
2002	Spicer	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2003	Garnier	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2004	Garnier	Warrant Officer II	Power
2004	Tessolini	Sergeant	Power
2004	Fink	Sergeant	Glider
2005	Fink	Flight Sergeant	Power
2007	Hoffart	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2008	Crawley	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2008	Montgomery	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2009	Crawley	Warrant Officer I	Power
2009	Montgomery	Warrant Officer II	Power
2009	Fish	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2009	Heenan	Sergeant	Glider
2010	Fish	Warrant Officer II	Power
2010	Thornton	Flight Sergeant	Power
2011	Thornton	Warrant Officer II	Power
2011	Fish	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2015	Van Dorsten	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2016	Van Dorsten	Warrant Officer II	Power
2017	Koletchko	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2017	Dupre	Flight Corporal	Glider
2018	Koletchko	Warrant Officer II	Power
2018	Dupre	Flight Sergeant	Power
2018	Lynch	Flight Sergeant	Glider
2019	Lynch	Flight Sergeant	Flying Roster
2019	Dawe	Flight Sergeant	Flying Roster

A Legacy Beyond the Wings

Whether 878 Squadron alumni go on to fly CF-18 Hornets over the Rockies, command commercial airliners, engineer future space systems, or lead in local Bow Valley businesses, the discipline, decision-making, and camaraderie forged during cadet flight training remain for life.

878 Banff/Canmore Air Cadet Squadron continues to inspire young Canadians to reach for the skies.

Operations, Training & Fleet

Positioned between Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park, the squadron benefits from local expertise in outdoor survival and avalanche rescue techniques. Cadets participate in unit flying days, citizenship tours (e.g., CFB Comox, Royal Tyrrell Museum), and volunteer at events like the Canmore Highland Games.

Drawing cadets across a 100 km radius, reliable transport is essential. The fleet includes:

15-passenger van for cadet transport
14-ft utility trailer for field training equipment

Squadron Headquarters

After operating out of local schools for many years, the squadron secured its own permanent home on the Lawrence Grassi School grounds. Supported by $258,000 raised through community donations, casinos, and a $100,000 CFEP grant, the new facility opened on September 22, 2012. As of April 2018, the building loan was fully paid off, giving 878 Squadron complete ownership of its headquarters.