So long, Seafair Sunday 2009; till next year, Blue Angels

(iPhone photo that doesn’t do justice to tonight’s sunset – send a photo if you have one that does!)
As the sun sets on another Seafair Sunday, we have one last look at those six blue-and-yellow U.S. Navy jets that have either mesmerized or maddened you for the past four days – there don’t seem to be many people whose opinions fall inbetween. Thanks to everyone who shared their views of the high-flying Blue Angels – this one from Jim Clark:

And there’s the seventh Blue Angels crowd fave – this view of Fat Albert is from David Rosen of SlickPix Photography, who was out along I-90 today:

David also shares this view of two Blues:

Our lingering memory is always the sound of the cockpit covers closing, and the jets’ engines firing up at the Museum of Flight – this clip from the M-o-F fence today is more about that sound than the visuals:

And we never leave without a snapshot of the ever-cool crew:

Last update we got, the Angels were scheduled to leave Seattle on Tuesday. If we get any more specific information than that, we’ll let you know. Meantime, lots of video of today’s events, including other airshow acts and the hydro races, can be found at kirotv.com – their TV station has the Seafair television contract, so they have the most “behind-the-scenes” stuff to share.

great job August 2, 2009 (9:16 pm)

Will have to get down to the Museum of Flight next year! I realized this time after growing up here what a hard core fan I am. Thanks for covering!

cclarue August 2, 2009 (10:04 pm)

The ONLY Seafair activity I even care about is the Blue Angels. I took my two girls to watch them today. I watched them on Thursday. They are so awesome. So talented and so well trained. Can’t all the folks who complain about them see the beauty of everything that goes into these shows. The skill and discipline of these pilots. The precision with which they fly. Not to mention the tradition in seattle that is seafair that is the blues the hydros the parade. I personally think the parade has more negative aspects to it but I am not going to complain about it, I just dont go. For those haters out there who are against the blues dont watch them. None of us in the west seattle area are impacted or bothered by them if we are at home. I cant wait till next year so we can see them again. Thanks for the coverage WSB.

Michael August 3, 2009 (12:37 am)

Hey there,

Great post and nice pics…

I’m interested in watching them leave Seattle..>Where did you hear they are leaving on Tuesday? Any idea of what time? Please email me and confirm this if you can….

Thanks,

Michael

WSB August 3, 2009 (1:00 am)

It was from a Boeing Field advisory. I am going to check some other sources later today (Monday) … TR

Celeste17 August 3, 2009 (1:11 am)

I was at a home near the course where the hydro’s race and the Blues do their show and it was awesome. We had seats on the bluff right above the course and just yelled our heads off every time we saw them fly by. The acrobatics that they do is incredible.

homesweethome August 3, 2009 (7:27 am)

cclarue – I’m one of those people that’s not so thrilled with the Blue Angels – my complaint is not the noise or the disruption to traffic – its the expense for an air show. No I am not anti-military either, my nephew has just returned from his 2nd tour in Iraq and I am very supportive of our troops. Herein lies my complaint – in tough economic times, is using our best pilots for air shows at great cost to the military really our best use of limited funds? Yes, they are incredible to watch and my vote would be to put that skill to use in bringing our troops home, air shows can resume in more fruitful and non- conflict times economic times.

sam August 3, 2009 (8:14 am)

I love the Blue Angels, and look forward to them every year. I was thinking about going to the MoF to see them take off next year. do most people bring ear plugs ?

OP August 3, 2009 (9:22 am)

erein lies my complaint – in tough economic times, is using our best pilots for air shows at great cost to the military really our best use of limited funds? Air shows are not a great cost to the military at all; in fact, in terms of the overall military budget, air shows represent an incredibly small portion of the budget. I can’t find the source but I believe each BA show costs $130K—fuel, etc. And I believe a portion of those costs are offset by whatever business is sponsoring the show—in this case, Key Bank. (I can’t imagine that the BA do the shows for free; they must see some portion of the sponsorship money.) They’re also an indirect recruitment tool. And how could a Blue Angel pilot “put all that skill into bringing our troops home”? They have no say in the matter.

Meghan August 3, 2009 (3:28 pm)

The planes the Blue Angels fly are military planes, built to bomb and kill people. Using them for entertainment (really to glorify our military – you know, the way the Nazis did) is just stupid. Flying them over a heavily populated city is dangerous, esp. given the fact that they’ve had a few fatal accidents. Closing our major roadways and bridges for several hours for 4 days is economically costly and ridiculous. And subjecting our pets to noises that torment them is cruel. My poor grandmother had to leave the city every year because the noise bothered her so much and having war planes soaring over her house was too distressing to her. Maybe the fact that they sounded like the planes that dropped bombs on her as a little girl in London had something to do with it. Can we really not think of a better way to entertain ourselves???

Lori August 3, 2009 (4:02 pm)

There is nothing “indirect” about it, the Blues are a key recruiting tool for the Navy. In fact, that is the primary reason for their existance. They also demonstrate the skill and precision of the men and women we are training with our tax dollars and the equipment we provide for them. The following is taken from their website at http://www.blueangels.navy.mil — “The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting efforts and to represent the naval service to the United States, its elected leadership and foreign nations. The Blue Angels serve as positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps.” GO NAVY!

Leroniusmonkfish August 3, 2009 (4:31 pm)

TR – When are you going to get your chance to go up on a “Media” flight? You give them more annual coverage than the other so-called media oufits…

WSB August 3, 2009 (4:49 pm)

Ha! I would have long ago made the request if I had any interest. (A) I don’t think they’ve ever sent a fat person up in one of those – there’s probably something about the mere condition of being large, never mind whether you’re the type like me who NEVER gets sick (knock wood) and has good cholesterol/BP and blah blah blah, that would rule it out (or too much weight for the plane); but (B) more importantly, I will freely admit I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I get dizzy just standing still. I’m sure my brain would be shaken off its tenuous foundation and I really do intend to hang out on this planet another half-century or so.
.
I did go up, while a radio news reporter a quarter-century ago, in a C-130 (or similar) carrying the Army’s Golden Eagles parachute team, while they were at Travis AFB (east of SF) for an airshow. 12,000 feet up, no pressurization. The ride wasn’t too crazy (since the plane wasn’t doing a demo, the soldiers were) but my eardrums were about to burst. That ended my ridealong career.
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TR

56bricks August 3, 2009 (7:11 pm)

Meghan, sorry about your grandma’s ears but that roar is the sound of Freedom. Would you prefer the roar of Chinese or Russian jets as we run to hide protecting our arses as opposed to our ears? I don’t believe your nazi comparison is appropriate. Stand up, give a salute and be proud. Or go away.

brandon August 3, 2009 (9:10 pm)

When you get the fireworks crowd to stop shooting off all hours of the night on the 4th and New Years, bothering my dog, then I might agree. In the mean time, a sedative for the dog and pre-planning since I know their schedule well in advance either takes me out of the city on vacation (if I don’t like them), or I stand at attention and awe at the spectacle.
And, I think you are insulting the people of Iraq, Gaza, London, Germany, Japan and other points when you talk about war planes disrupting our lives here. Have you ever been through a bombing raid night after night after night? Diving for bomb shelters at moments notice? I would suggest the Blue Angels are a tea party compared to the unrest some of those more unfortunate people have suffered through (my parents included).
I expect to find you at Boeing stomping at their gates in protest if you find their business lines so unpleasant.

OP August 3, 2009 (9:18 pm)

Equating the Blue Angels with Nazism is intellectually deficient and historically challenged, at best. But nice to see someone spouting and hitting every negative, anti-military talking points. I was wondering when that was going to happen. And I agree with 56bricks: Stand up, be proud. Or sit down and think about the incredible men and women who serve this great country and who are the very reason why you get to voice your limited opinion w/o consequence.

Sorry, comment time is over.