Against a perfectly blue sky day on a sunny late fall morning, the Royal Canadian Air Force revved up the engines on three CH-124 Sea King helicopters to take flight on one of their last journeys before they officially retire next month.

In 1963, the Air Force purchased a fleet of 41 and of those, 28 remain today.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 bittersweet,B次元官网网址� says Jason Miller, a retired aircraft technician who worked with the fleet for nearly 20 years. B次元官网网址淭his is the longest serving aircraft that the Canadian Armed Forces has.B次元官网网址�

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Miller estimates he has worked on each of the remaining 28 aircraft over the course of his career and they have taken him on deployments all over the world.

He likens them to an old pickup truck B次元官网网址� solid, heavy duty, rugged aircraft B次元官网网址� in the way they have stood the test of time.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e gone across the Atlantic in hurricanes bouncing off the back of the ship,B次元官网网址� he recalls. B次元官网网址淪o, the new aircarft has some pretty big boots to fill.B次元官网网址�

All over the world, this model of aircraft is retiring because parts are difficult to come by, Miller says. B次元官网网址淣obodyB次元官网网址檚 making parts for them anymore.B次元官网网址�

Miller points out aircraft of any kind only have a finite lifespan and while the Sea KingB次元官网网址檚 have been refurbished over the years B次元官网网址� including structural and mechanical upgrades B次元官网网址� it is time to ground them permanently.

The fleet will be replaced with new state-of-the-art CH-148 Cyclone aircraft, which arrived at 443 Squadron in Patricia Bay, back in August.

At the height of operation, the Sea King fleet was split between coasts serving the Vancouver Island base as well as three air squadrons in Halifax.

Upon retirement, some will be offered for sale and others will find new homes in military museums.

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