Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team 
Officially Disbands as of 2021

An impressive 20-year run of air show demonstrations ended in April with an announcement that the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team (CHAT) has retired from the air show circuit. 
The four pilots of CHAT, together with their group support team and others who served the team, made a significant contribution to aviation with remarkable displays of the iconic Harvard trainer across eastern Canada and the southeastern U. S. 

CHAT was always known for professionalism and showmanship. The team leaves many good memories and will be missed by aviation fans of all ages.

CHAT extended a warm thank you on its website (canadianharvards.com) to all of its air show friends and family for their support of “a fantastic 20 years” in “bringing history to life” with the Harvard.  The announcement was greeted with many accolades on the CHAT Facebook site. 

All four pilots – Pete Spence (#1), Dave Hewitt (#2), Kent Beckham (#3) and Marco Rusconi (#4) --- are highly experienced and have classic aviation backgrounds. 

Pete, who served as the formation leader, is the son of Bob Spence of Muirkirk, ON.  Bob restored a Fairey Swordfish to flying condition for air shows in the 1980s and hosted popular fly-ins at his airfield among other things. Dave is the son of Bob Hewitt, one of the founding members of both the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association and the Jet Aircraft Museum. Kent is the son of Norm “Mr. Harvard” Beckham, one of the three “founding fathers” of the CHAA. Marco Rusconi was born in Italy. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1997, earned his wings in 2014, and fulfilled a dream as a Snowbirds pilot from 2008 to 2011. 
As described by Linda Brimson, author of The CHAA Story, four privately owned Harvards were the original precursor in the 1970s for the CHAA and what would eventually culminate in CHAT. The Harvards, based at Woodstock in southwestern Ontario, began flying a formation, with Norm and Kent Beckham starting a two-ship aerobatic routine in 1981. The pilots spread their wings at places like EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI, where they were informally known as the “Canadian Harvards.”
CHAT was formally established in 1999. Their first performance as a three-ship display with Harvard Mk 2s took place at London, ON in 2000.  The pilots individually owned their own aircraft. 
Marco Rusconi later acquired a Harvard Mk 4 and practiced with the team, each fall, for years.  He eventually debuted the four-ship display at the CHAA base in Tillsonburg in 2014.  A twilight show was added for the 2016 season. 

Many excellent photos of CHAT are found on the websites of Eric Dumigan and Gus Corujo
Gus stated there will be a new beginning for some CHAT members, who will head out on solo air show adventures.  We extend congratulations for the outstanding legacy of CHAT and extend best wishes for future endeavours. 
Click Here to return to the articles page.