Finding Home in Cold Lake: A Military Family’s Perspective
Paige Olson and her family – Supplied Photo When Paige Olson learned her family would be posted to Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, her reaction was a mix of excitement and uncertainty, something many military families can relate to. “When I first found out that my family and I were being posted to Cold Lake, I had mixed emotions,” she said. “On one hand, I was genuinely excited… the...
Getting Settled at CFB Cold Lake: What 4 Wing PSP Offers New Members
PSP staff and guests enjoy the winter fun at Snow Fever at CFB Cold Lake — File photo. Congratulations on your posting to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Cold Lake!Being newly posted can sometimes come with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Whether you’re arriving solo or with family, getting settled into a new community can take time. That’s where 4 Wing Personnel Support Programs (PSP) plays a...
How the Cold Lake Air Show Secures World-Class Performers
Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft conduct an aerial refuelling demonstration during the 2022 Cold Lake Air Show – Photo courtesy of 4 Wing Imaging. Behind every high-speed pass and precision manoeuvre at the Cold Lake Air Show is a process built on planning, relationships, and a constant drive to deliver something new. For Major Erick “Hom” O’Connor, Director of Air Operations for the 2026...
417 Squadron Supports Largest Arctic Winter Operation to Date
Sergeant Austin Collier, Flight Paramedic with 417 Combat Support Squadron, is hoisted back into the CH-146 Griffon helicopter during nighttime casualty evacuation training as part of Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT, north of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, on 03 March, 2025 – Photo: Corporal Borden Webb-Brown, Imagery Technician, 14 Wing Greenwood. Members of 417 Combat Support Squadron from...
Posting to CFB Cold Lake? Here’s What You Need to Know
File Photo Posting season is a constant in Canadian Armed Forces life, and whether this is your first time heading to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Cold Lake or preparing to move here once again, the same questions come up every time. What should I expect? How do I prepare? Here’s what CAF members and families need to know. What is Cold Lake like? For many, a posting to Cold Lake means a shift in...
New Principal for Art Smith Aviation Academy
Supplied Photo Northern Lights Public Schools is pleased to announce that Jodie Cornell has been appointed Principal of Art Smith Aviation Academy for the 2026-2027 school year. “Jodie is a well-rounded educator with experience in diverse instructional roles,” said Superintendent Rick Cusson. “She is deeply committed to building relationships and ensuring all students have opportunities to...
Padre’s Ponderings: Disappointment Springs
Stock Photo Most mornings, I watch CBC news – mostly because I have little better to do and enjoy a good dose of depression first thing in the morning. Then there’s the “weather disappointer” (‘cause it’s always disappointing) who never has anything good to say: snow, freezing rain, more snow, and temperatures that swing more wildly than an entire troupe of Cirque de Soleil acrobats. If I’m not...
The Conductor of the Skies: Inside the Air Boss Role at the Cold Lake Air Show
Major Erick “Hom” O’Connor (second from the right) at the 2018 Cold Lake Air Show – File Photo Few roles at an air show are as central as that of the Air Boss. For Major Erick “Hom” O’Connor, the current Director of Air Operations for the Cold Lake Air Show and a former Air Boss for the event, the job is equal parts planner, coordinator, and conductor. “Much of the Air Boss’s work begins...
Artemis II Mission Returns Safely to Earth, Marking Historic Milestone for Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen
CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha after he and fellow crewmates NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; and Christina Koch, mission specialist were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off...
F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team Returns to the Cold Lake Air Show
A Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor performs during the 2022 Cold Lake Air Show. (File photo) Few aircraft command attention quite like the F-22 Raptor, and in 2026, the United States Air Force F-22 Demonstration Team is set to once again bring its unmatched performance to the skies over Cold Lake. A crowd favourite from previous appearances, the Raptor represents the cutting edge of modern airpower....