You'll probably notice a change in scenery soon when it comes to seeing military Twin Otters in the sky.

The planes have been a bright yellow for decades, but they're set to become a hazy grey colour this coming winter, said Capt. Graham Neely with 440 Squadron.

The yellow colouring specifically notes an aircraft is meant for search-and-rescue (SAR), which is not the purpose of the planes anymore, added Neely, as those planes will become grey to indicate they're for strategic airlifts.

That can look like a lot of things, but it comes down to transporting people and things from one point to another. It's not about searching for or rescuing anyone.

"There's no reason for us to be painted yellow anymore, other than everyone in the North and all the communities know who we are," said Neely. "We're trying not to tell people that we're getting a change. All of the sudden it's going to be like 'ah, it's grey!'"

The top of the wings will be painted with something bright, said Neely. These planes, classified as CC-138 by the Royal Canadian Air Force, and can come equipped with wheels or skis for landing depending on the surface.

"Currently, the Arctic search area all belongs to Winnipeg (17 Wing)," Neely explained, saying that they have planes called CC-130H Hercules, which are also meant for SAR.

The Kingfisher, according to the Royal Canadian Air Force, is the new search-and-rescue fleet and are currently in the same coat of yellow paint as the Twin Otters currently are.

However, that transition has been delayed, said Neely, and those planes should finally arrive sometime between 2025 and 2026.

Neely said CFB Trenton has also started using a different model of Hercules aircraft to supplement the retiring H models because of the Kingfisher delay.

"The next aircraft that goes into heavy maintenance is due to get painted," he said.