(August 2011 photo by David Hutchinson)
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you can see/hear them from here – and they’re not going away. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are coming back to Seafair for at least two more summers. Just announced:

The official news release from Seafair:

U.S. NAVY BLUE ANGELS WILL RETURN TO SEAFAIR THROUGH 2013

he U.S. Navy Blue Angels announced the Demonstration Squadron will return to the skies above Lake Washington as a featured performer at the Boeing Seafair Air Show in 2012 and 2013. The announcement was made today at the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) convention in Las Vegas, Nev. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels make two-year performance commitments and previously announced their return to Seattle for 2012. 



The air show is part of the summer schedule of events that culminates with Seafair Weekend featuring the Boeing Air Show and Albert Lee Cup Hydroplane Races.

Seafair Weekend Dates
2012: Fri., Aug. 3 – Sun., Aug. 5.
2013: Fri., Aug. 2 – Sun., Aug. 4

The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance U.S. 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 for young people, and goodwill ambassadors for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

A complete show schedule is available at www.blueangels.navy.mil.

After that Museum of Flight flyby, the Blue Angels landed at Boeing Field about 15 minutes ago, concluding their Seafair 2011 performances. No “Fat Albert” today, though – the C-130 always goes up before the six F/A-18′s, but that didn’t happen today because of what official Seafair station KIRO reported via Twitter was a “maintenance issue.” (Good thing WSB’s Christopher Boffoli chose Saturday for his flight – see his story here with video and photos, if you haven’t already.) We watched today’s pre-takeoff events from the fence facing the six jets’ parking area – a closer view than the media zone:

For our fellow aviation fans, we’ll be in touch with Seafair to find out when they’re flying out; next weekend, they’re scheduled to perform in Fargo, North Dakota.

ADDED: Seafair says they’re expected to leave Tuesday morning, but will doublecheck the time on Monday. Meantime, one more great photo, from David Hutchinson:

As he captioned it … “show’s over.”

(Watch for the view of West Seattle – and the SBX – through the open cargo door!)
Story, photos, and video by Christopher Boffoli
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

At the age of 10, I was delighted to be just tall enough to ride the infamous Rebel Yell roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Virginia. A big part of the victory was that my super-competitive but shorter younger brother wasn’t. He had to cool his jets with the parents while I happily went through the turnstile to ride with my pretty teenage cousin.

However, the victory of my foray into big-kid territory was short-lived once we were strapped in and began to ascend the coaster’s towering first hill. With the ominous sound of clicking, we lurched ever closer to the top – and the inevitable drop on the other side. It was one of the first times I remember experiencing what it was like to suffer the consequences of a choice (not to mention to know how it felt to set a land-speed record for regret).

Of course I immediately jumped at the chance to fly aboard the Blue Angels’ C-130 support aircraft that they call “Fat Albert.”

But it wasn’t until after I enthusiastically said “yes” that I did a bit of research on what the flight would entail. Compared with the Blue Angels’ famous sleek F/A-18 Hornets, the 150,000-pound Fat Albert looked like a chunky, lumbering cargo plane.

I hadn’t seen it fly before but figured it might do a few low passes, wave its wings around, and we’d be back on terra firma for a photo op. I figured wrong. With an exhilarating, stomach-churning flight, I was reminded again of just how deceiving looks can be.

The United States Marine Corps has flown Fat Albert, or “Bert” as they call it, since 1975, in support of the Navy Blue Angels. It’s named after a TV cartoon show that was popular at the time. It’s a supply-and-logistics aircraft that flies personnel, equipment, and spare parts between shows. In fact, immediately after its flight this morning, the crew of Fat Albert loaded a malfunctioning engine from Blue Angel jet number 5, which they told us they would be flying to Naval Air Station Lemoore (in central California) for replacement:

The Lockheed C-130T is a versatile military aircraft, the only one of its kind to remain in continuous production for more than 50 years. It has a wingspan of just over 132 feet and a top speed of 366 mph.

After we were escorted out to the flight line this morning, we were invited to clamber around a bit and explore the aircraft.

That was followed by extremely thorough briefings, first for the crew and then for the passengers, by Fat Albert’s commander for our flight, Marine Captain Edward Jorge (at left in photo below, with co-pilot Capt. Ben Blanton).

It was as if Capt. Jorge had memorized every maneuver of the fairly long flight we were about to take, complete with detailed references to the terrain over which we’d be flying. He told us the maneuvers were not designed merely to impress the spectators, but had their genesis in combat maneuvers that were routinely employed in theaters of war.

When we were ready to go, we loaded up and strapped ourselves in. Two lucky people were seated behind the pilots at the back of the flight deck, while a young Marine Staff Sergeant, who was along for our ride, was elected to ascend a ladder and sit with his head protruding from a clear plastic bubble at the top of the fuselage.

The rest of us sat in bench seats along each side of the empty cargo bay. Double seat belts ensured that we’d stay secure for our acrobatic flight. The view to the outside was limited to a few high porthole windows, fore and aft, as well as larger windows towards the tail by the “paratrooper doors.” This wasn’t a plane designed for pleasure flights.

Airsickness bags were distributed to everyone with a warning to not let pride prevent you from taking one, as people were commonly sick on the flights. I took one dutifully, though as an experienced sailor and veteran of many choppy flights on small aircraft, I didn’t think I’d need it. I reassured myself that I’ve never been seasick, carsick, or airsick. But in the back of my mind I heard the clicking of a roller-coaster car.

As we taxied out to the runway, the aft cargo door was opened, providing an unusual view of Boeing Field and the crowds assembled for the show. They closed the doors just before takeoff, and we waited for what seemed like ten minutes before being cleared to fly. Then we turned onto the runway for blastoff.

The plane accelerated aggressively, much more powerfully than an airliner, lifting gently just a few feet off the runway, paralleling it until we had reached sufficient speed to climb sharply. The force of gravity was immediately double that of normal. My body and camera felt leaden. At the apex of our steep climb, the captain pushed the plane over the top of the arc, giving us a few seconds of free-fall. The Marine crew members, who weren’t strapped in like everyone else, rose to their feet, tethered only by their hands on a ladder which was secured to the cargo bay floor. We all laughed in delight. Stomachs felt fine. That wasn’t so bad.

From there the rest of the flight quickly devolved into a blur. Geographical reference points occasionally passed one of the tiny windows. The plane went into roll maneuvers. Buildings and trees a second later were featureless white clouds. There’s a bit of SODO. Then Elliott Bay. There’s Beacon Hill’s PacMed Building (until recently the home of Amazon.com). The plane rolls again. Back to white.

Perhaps my favorite part of the flight was a delightfully level and steady part of the program in which the aft cargo door was opened again. A couple of crew members, secured to the aircraft with elaborate harnesses, walked right up to the edge and looked out.

The view was breathtaking as we executed wide turns: Puget Sound, the Olympic Peninsula, and then Downtown and Elliott Bay again, followed by the northern part of the West Seattle peninsula. Marvelous.

Minutes later the door was closed and we were once again rocketing across the landscape. There were a few more dips and arcs, doubling and then erasing gravity like some kind of bizarre Newtonian Algebra equation. The porthole windows continually alternated with trees and clouds as arc-light rays of sun raked across the interior of the cargo bay. Then we were over Lake Washington, flying sideways, seemingly forty feet off the water, with hundreds of white pleasure boats whipping by in a blur.

It was perhaps 2/3 of the way into the flight when I felt it happening. My breathing grew rapid. I began to perspire, despite the fact I could feel cool air blowing on my bare arms and legs and knew I wasn’t warm. I had no consistent view to any kind of horizon and my sense of equilibrium was totally confused. I saw some others reaching for their sick bags. But not me. No, I did all I could to fight it off. I breathed deeply. I swallowed continuously. Minutes dragged by. I locked my eyes on the windows to get some semblance of orientation to the ground. But then another tight turn, another series of rolls and not only was my body no longer speaking the same language as my mind, it simply wasn’t listening.

The final minutes of the flight were a struggle to coordinate the logistics of my own in-flight anti-meal service, with my desire to continue to record with my camera the physics experiment continuing to transpire around me.

Fat Albert’s swan song was a steep dive to the runway. The aft door was opened wide once again, to the much-appreciated view of daylight, a straight horizon, and the oddly comforting smell of fresh air mixed with jet exhaust. We taxied back to the parking-area fences still lined with admiring throngs, and exited the plane while mopping our brows and cleaning ourselves up.

Our pilots and crew emerged from the plane, in their superhero-hued flight suits, as unruffled and chipper as they were before the flight.

As we stood around asking questions and taking more pictures, I felt myself smiling again. But I was unsure whether I could attribute it to the exhilaration of the flight or to the gratitude I once again felt to be standing on level ground.

After my Virginia roller coaster ride, I was inconsolable. My cousin kindly offered to buy me a snow cone to get me to stop crying. That I refused such a treat speaks to my level of post-ride trauma. I’d go on to ride many roller coasters. But the horror of that first big one would always somehow be indelible.

There were no snow cones offered after the flight today. Just glossy certificates with a photo of the aircraft, the signatures of the pilots and crew, and best wishes from the Blue Angels and “Fat Albert Airlines.” The experience had some unpleasant moments. But I’m sure I’ll look back on it mostly as a privilege and happy that I was tall enough to spend an hour playing in the skies with the big kids.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Either from Boeing Field or Lake Washington, you can see Fat Albert fly one more time later today (Sunday) just before the six Blue Angels go up (takeoff is usually between 1 and 1:30 pm). We recommend the Museum of Flight, for the dramatic “steep dive” Christopher mentions – plus a low flyby – and the crew member visible from the top “bubble” holding a flag as they taxi after landing.

Though much of the cloudiness was gone by their Seafair showtime, the Blue Angels did what looked mostly like the “low show” today, with a few straight-up-into-the-blue-sky maneuvers rendering it somewhat of a hybrid. These first two photos are courtesy of JayDee, who watched from the 4th Avenue Costco parking lot, another great spot if you can’t make it to Boeing Field/Museum of Flight or Lake Washington.

Your co-publishers watched from the hydro pits at Lake Washington, and we’ll have some pix/video of both Angels and hydros (the classics were going into the water while we were there) to add later. And we photographed the Blue Angels’ “Fat Albert” flying over the lake with the knowledge that longtime WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli was on board – Seafair PR offered media flights in the crowd-pleaser C-130 this year, and we’ll have something from Christopher for a separate report later. (added – here’s Fat Albert over the log boom:)

Meantime, tomorrow’s the grand finale – one more round of Blue Angels, the rest of the air show, hydros, and fleet tours on the downtown waterfront. (If you go to Lake Washington, here’s the Seafair site map.)

ADDED 9:16 PM: A few more photos from Lake Washington:

The rejuvenated Moby Duck – with a Seafair Pirate or two – is on hand near the hydro pits, where you can watch the boats getting lifted into the water. We were there for the classics, and admired the reflective underside:

That’s the Miss Thriftway. Nearby, the Miss Wahoo:

And the sights included an unusual Seattle Fire Department vehicle:

12:27 PM: After years of watching/covering the Blue Angels from “the fence” just north of where they park at the Museum of Flight, this year we’re in the official media zone for the first time, so we can bring you a slightly different view (no chain link or barbed wire in the way this time). For everyone waiting to find out when they’re going up – if it’s the usual timetable, it’s still a half-hour or so away. We’ll have updates here, plus video of the pilots’ “walkdown” once they’re up. More to come!

12:56 PM: The support crew’s checking out the Angels’ jets now. Showtime nears. Watch the WSB Twitter account for further pre-takeoff updates.

2 PM: Airshow in progress, as you’ve probably heard or seen unless you’re nowhere near the metro area. Here’s our video of the “walkdown” as the pilots head to their jets, in formation:

Still cloudy out here, so they’re doing the “low show,” but Museum of Flight visitors are still glimpsing plenty of flybys. For those who follow the granular details, #7 is flying in place of #5, which landed yesterday shortly after going up for practice. There also was a brief flutter of activity with #6, just before they taxiied for takeoff (we’ll add the taxiing video later, that’s an interesting perspective too). And remember the I-90 bridge is closed until they’re done – the closure’s scheduled till 2:45 though they’ll be done sooner – we’ll make a note here when they are.

ADDED FRIDAY EVENING: Adding photos from David Hutchinson (thank you!) – above and below this line – if you look closely at this next one, you’ll see one of the spots (there are at least two) where something’s been added to the Blue Angels’ paint job this year, a tribute to the Centennial of Naval Aviation:

And last but not least, one more bit of our video. Once the jets were up, we left the “media zone” and went over to the Museum of Flight lawn, where you can catch sight of the planes now and then, most spectacularly just before they land, with the flyby in honor of everyone watching from Boeing Field:

Tomorrow, should be the same timeframe – performance after 1 pm.

We were at Boeing Field, north of the tower this time, to watch the Blue Angels‘ takeoffs/landings (and occasional other glimpses) for today’s afternoon practices; this morning, we could hear them from WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy, and WSB’ers reported some peninsula flyovers.

(#5 and #6, photographed Thursday by WSB Flickr group member LikeOnATree – click for large version)
There were some anomalies to today’s practice – in the afternoon, only four went up, #1 and #4, followed by #5 and #6, and #5 wasn’t up long before returning; officials changed the story about why two didn’t fly, according to this report on KIRO (which is the “official Seafair station,” by contract).

(Thursday practice photo by Tracy White)
Here’s what to expect the next three days: The full airshow. Technically, Friday is a practice, and it’s free to watch from Lake Washington (while Saturday/Sunday, you’ll be charged admission), but every year we’ve been covering/watching it, Friday also brings the full-on show, from the ceremonial “walkdown” at the Museum of Flight before they board the jets, through the aerial maneuvers, to the walkdown in reverse when the pilots return.

If you decide to go to the Museum of Flight for the bone-rattling takeoff experience, go early; the takeoff will be somewhere in the 12:30-1 pm vicinity, but viewing points along the fences fill up hours in advance, as does the MoF parking lot (and there’s less overflow parking on Friday). So much to see before and after, though! You can also check out areas along Boeing Field; we are partial to the lots north and south of the tower off East Marginal, though the south was roped off today, and it has less space than previous years because of construction. Our preferred way to get there (since the South Park Bridge closed more than a year ago) is Highland Park Way to 1st Avenue South Bridge north, get off at Michigan, turn right on East Marginal, head south (here’s a map of that route).

(WSB photo from first Summer Concerts at Hiawatha last Thursday)
More music in the park, one of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

PUMP STATION PROJECT: Seattle Design Commission looks at the Barton Street Pump Station expansion (south of the Fauntleroy ferry dock), 9:30 am at City Hall (agenda and more info here).

BACK IN TIME: Noon-4 pm, tour the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens, Alki) and learn about West Seattle-area history!

BLUE ANGELS’ FIRST PRACTICE DAY, AND TRAFFIC ALERTS: This is the first of four days that the U.S. Navy’s visiting aerial demonstration team goes airborne for Seafair in a big way, with two rounds of practice maneuvers that also result in two rounds of I-90 bridge closures, and you know how any closure tends to have a domino effect. The traffic alerts are part of the citywide four-day advisory published here last night; for Blue Angels viewing, the Museum of Flight is the best place to be – they take off from and land at adjacent Boeing Field, and park in a fenced-off (but you can see through the fence) area south of the museum.

SHOP LATE THURSDAYS: Shop Late Thursdays in The Junction, till 9 pm; participants’ list here, including WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits, which (as mentioned here yesterday) is hosting a meatless-recipes tasting with cookbook author Kim O’Donnel starting at 6 pm.

WINE AND CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER: First-ever Rotary Club of West Seattle Washington Premium Wine/Chocolate Tasting, at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor Avenue SW), 5:30-8:30 pm. Profit from the event will support local youth scholarships, 38th annual children’s shopping spree, and other Rotary Club of West Seattle community and international humanitarianism outreach efforts. Event will include: local Washington premium wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, live and silent auction, fellowship, and jazz and blues with local musician Randall O’Dowd. Check to see if tickets are still available.
Info here.

ARE YOU A MS. OR MR. FIX-IT? The Fixers’ Collective @ The West Seattle Tool Library (Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW), 6 – 8 pm. A Fixers’ Collective is a group of folks who love to fix and mend things, which could be any old thing from broken blenders to ripped sweaters to antique dentist drills. Take it apart, put it back together, figure out how it works, refuse to throw it away, and get to know others who do the same! Join us if you are interested in prolonging the life of the things you own, learning how things work, saving a few resources, or if you just love to tinker. All are welcome and encouraged to develop an addiction to creative fixing and mending!

MASSY FERGUSON PLAYS HIAWATHA: Second week tonight for the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series, 6:30 pm, east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center, free, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors (all listed on the right side of this page). Haven’t seen Massy Ferguson before? Find out more about their music here. Also at Hiawatha for the occasion: The Beloved Mexico food truck (cancelled), the PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) Kid Picks truck, and Full Tilt Ice Cream.

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE: Dance Time with Lauren Petrie (at Bridge Park, 3204 SW Morgan St), 7 pm – 9 pm. Theme: Tropical, Hot, Hot, Hot. Reservations Requested: 206.932.4044, seating after 6:30 pm. $5-$7 donation.

SUNRISE HEIGHTS, UNITE: The Sunrise Heights Neighborhood Association Summer Quarterly Meeting! 7 pm, Southwest Precinct on Webster (next to Home Depot).
Agenda:
1) Emergency Preparedness Grant Project
2) Fall yard sale/harvest swap?
3) What is SHNA about? What are our goals and priorities?
4) Your questions and suggestions.

(Photo by Glenn Gauthier)
One more Blue Angels note, besides today’s team arrival: South Seattle Community College math instructor Heidi Lyman has taken that Blue Angels ridealong we previewed here last week – and SSCC’s Candace Oehler says Heidi reported shouting at 17,000 feet, “START HERE, GO ANYWHERE!” (That would be the SSCC motto.) She also reported pulling 7.4 g’s in one maneuver with U.S. Navy Lt. Dave Tickle in #7, says Candace, who accompanied Heidi to Boeing Field/Museum of Flight.

And as also previewed here, we’ve had the first Seafair Navy fleet sightings off West Seattle shores:

Via the WSB Facebook page, Russ Walker shared that photo of the USS Bonhomme Richard arriving in Elliott Bay this afternoon. No, it’s not an aircraft carrier, as some have called it – it’s an amphibious-assault ship. The guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson is here too. You’ll see them, and the other visiting ships – plus aircraft flyovers – in the Parade of Ships tomorrow afternoon, starting around 1:45; tours are Thursday-Sunday.

(Top photo by Ilona Berzups, added 3:06 pm; WSB video below, added 11:23 am)

11:15 AM: The unmistakable roar you might have heard was indeed that of the Blue Angels, who are now all here for Seafair 2011 – just landed, right on schedule. We’re at Boeing Field and will add visuals shortly.

ADDED 11:23 AM: Our video of the Boeing Field flyby is up – we’re just south of the tower, along East Marginal Way, one of the places to watch them take off (and land) if you can’t make it to the Museum of Flight – which for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is THE place to be. Here are some of the gotta-see-it people who came to watch the arrival:

(WSB photo above, added 11:48 am; photo below by David DeSiga, added 3:11 pm)

ADDED 11:48 AM: Half an hour after the rest of the team, Fat Albert – the Blue Angels’ beloved support plane – just arrived. The official Blue Angels shows are Friday-Sunday (Friday, you can get to the shores of Lake Washington by the hydro pits to watch for free; Saturday-Sunday, admission is charged) but you’ll also see them practicing Thursday, and more ridealongs tomorrow. When they’re not in the air, you can see them parked on the south side of the Museum of Flight (which offers special activities/hours for Blue Angels Week this time each year).

(The Museum of Flight tweeted this photo of #7′s arrival just after 8 am)
The first Blue Angels jet to arrive in Seattle got here just after 8 am, but will be back in the air this afternoon, giving rides to pre-selected “community influencers.” The other Blue Angels are due to arrive at the Museum of Flight adjacent to Boeing Field around 11 am tomorrow.

If you’re a longtime WSB’er, you know we recommend watching at least one of their Seafair takeoffs from the MoF, for an experience beyond just the airshow (here’s one of our previous reports that should explain why). But we just found out firsthand this morning about a *traffic challenge* you’ll want to be aware of if you go to MoF: Last year, after the South Park Bridge (which had been a good shortcut from West Seattle) closed, it was easy enough to take Highland Park Way to the 1st Avenue South Bridge, then the Michigan exit to East Marginal Way, turn right, drive a few miles, voila, you’re there. Right now, though, there’s a stretch of East Marginal where road work is under way, and that took it down to one lane each way this morning:

This morning, the work covered a stretch north of 14th South (the old SP Bridge turn from East Marginal), and it took quite some time to get through. We turned onto 4th, headed north to downtown, and encountered more slowdowns. We’ll work to get more specifics before the big days Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and to recommend alternative routes if needed, but in the short run, just be aware. Also on the traffic alert front, the I-90 bridge closes those days too – the specific times are here. And you can find all of this week’s airshow info on the Seafair website. (Looking for info on when you’ll see the Seafair fleet off West Seattle shores? Here’s our story from last week.)

First, from Metro, the Seafair Torchlight Parade travel advisory:

The annual Seafair Torchlight Parade begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.
Riding Metro Transit to the festivities can eliminate some of the hassles of driving
and parking, especially with so many people in attendance and so many street
closures.

People usually begin staking out good spots along the Fourth Avenue parade route in downtown Seattle throughout the day, but then tend to leave downtown all at once in the evening.

Metro will have extra buses on standby to ease some of the expected overloads on regular routes that serve downtown Seattle, and is temporarily moving some bus stops to avoid post-parade gridlock.

It’s important to “know before you go” about possible reroutes and where to board buses. Be sure to find out in advance what the weekend schedule is like for the routes serving your area. Expect traffic congestion, which could delay buses.

On Saturday, some Metro buses will be rerouted away from the parade set up as early as mid-afternoon. A good option is traveling to downtown via the transit tunnel. Just be sure to plan your trip home before the last bus or light rail train leaves the tunnel Saturday night.

In the evening, there will be a special boarding location for four busy routes – the 21, 54, 55 and 120. These routes headed southbound out of downtown will board mid-block on Third Avenue between Pike Street and Union Street. Those routes will not be boarding passengers at their regular stop just north of Pike Street after 6 p.m.

The West Seattle Water Taxi may be a good alternative for people coming from West Seattle, but know that the last return sailing leaves Pier 50 in Seattle at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. Sound Transit will be operating two-car trains on Link light rail after the parade.

Visit Metro Online for information about bus service on Saturday. Use the online Trip Planner to figure out the routes that work best for you, and check the Alerts Center under “Construction & Events” to get information about service disruptions and bus reroutes. Or, call Metro’s Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000 for assistance.

Don’t forget to watch for Metro’s RapidRide bus in the big parade on Saturday, as it rolls toward the launch of the B Line on the Eastside this October.

P.S. If you’re going downtown – you can go early for the “Taste of Torchlight” Saturday afternoon at Seattle Center. Not a food festival – it’s a “fanfest on the Seattle Center grounds from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
where attendees can view floats, peruse interactive booths.”

Now, from the Museum of Flight, the rundown for what just might be its biggest week of the year:

The world-famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels star in the Boeing Air Show at Seafair’s Albert Lee Cup hydroplane races. The Museum of Flight is again Blue Angels’ headquarters during the team’s entire Seafair stay. Museum hours will be extended – opening one hour earlier – Friday Aug. 5 through Sunday, Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Indoor programs are free with Museum admission.

Museum visitors will be able see the jets up close from Thursday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 7. Activities include the team’s precise pre-flight walkdowns, thrilling formation takeoffs and the chance to see some of the Navy’s finest pilots as they return from their practice sessions and show performances.

Wells Fargo Free First Thursday
Thursday, Aug. 4, 5 to 9 p.m.
Once a month, the Museum stays open late – for free. Enjoy the Museum’s Great Gallery, Airpark, Personal Courage Wing, the new Soaring at Sea: 100 Years of Naval Aviation exhibit and more from 5 to 9 p.m., courtesy of Wells Fargo. Museum Store and Wings Café will also remain open for the extended hours on this night.

Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop
August 5 through 7, Noon to 3 p.m.
Blue Angels Mania!
We’ve got the blues…but we’re happy about it! Once again the spectacular Blue Angels are visiting Seattle and The Museum of Flight. In celebration, all Blues fans are invited to stop by the Museum’s activity area to make fabulous Blue Angels souvenirs.

Lecture and Book Signing
Sled Driver
Blackbird Pilot Brian Shul
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Aug. 5 through 7, 2:30 p.m.
Photographer, author, pilot and showman Brian Shul shares stories and photos from his experience as a “sled driver” – an SR-71 Blackbird pilot. The presentation is based upon his book, “Sled Driver,” which features Shul’s dazzling photography and insightful prose to illustrate what it is like to fly the world’s fastest, highest-flying jet, the SR-71 Blackbird. Shul’s program includes riveting accounts of Mach 3 runs over hostile territory and stargazing at 80,000 feet. This marks the 19th year Shul has appeared at the Museum during Blue Angels week. Shul has also traveled the air show circuit with the Blue Angels for his book “Blue Angels: A Portrait of Gold.” The program is free with admission to the Museum.

Also remember the Alaskan Way Viaduct closures this weekend – details here.

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels have one jet and two pilots here tonight, as part of Seafair‘s two-day winter meetings, looking ahead to summertime. For WSB, photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux covered the pilots’ arrival today, as well as their media briefing immediately afterward, as you’ll see in his video above. Blue Angels jet #7 is at Clay Lacy Aviation tonight and expected to leave noontime tomorrow. This year’s Seafair air show, featuring the Blue Angels, is exactly seven months away – August 5-7.