Tributes made to 'talented and dependable' Snowbird pilot

About 1,000 people gathered at the Moose Jaw, Sask.,air base Friday afternoonfor the funeral offallen Snowbirds Capt. Shawn McCaughey.

Friends and family of the 31-year-old pilot from Candiac, Que., whodied in Montana May 18, remembered him as someone who didn't waste a moment of his life.

His close friend and team leader, Maj. Robert Mitchell, spoke of McCaughey's smile and ability to make people laugh, and his passion and his talent for flying.

"I took great comfort in having him on my right wing," Mitchell said. "Quite simply, he was a dependable and gifted pilot. I believe that time will reveal that he was a hero last Friday in the air, potentially averting a much greater tragedy. You should take comfort in this, as I definitely do."

McCaughey was in his second year with the Snowbirds show team from 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.

He died last Friday at Malstrom, Mont., when the Tutor jet he was flying rolled out and plunged to the ground. An investigation into the crash continues.

McCaughey was going to be married to Claudia Gaudreault, of Chicoutimi, Que., next month in Montreal, his father said last week. Her birthday was Saturday, the day after he died.

People at the service in Moose Jaw Friday heard that after McCaughey died, Gaudreault found a birthday card he had written for her.

"You are the one I was meant to be beside now and forever," said the card, which was read at the memorial by Julie Selby.

She is the widow of Capt. Miles Selby, the Snowbirds pilot who died in a plane crash south of Moose Jaw on Dec. 10, 2004.

McCaughey was given a full military funeral, including a flypast of CF-18 Jets in the "missing man" formation and a rifle volley.