Seafair Saturday update: Watching the Blue Angels, again!

| Blue Angels | West Seattle news

(Photo by Les Crimmins, added Saturday evening)
1:47 PM: We are at Lake Washington today, and the Blue Angels’ performance has just begun. We’ll update when it’s over.

2:29 PM: Show’s over for today. Photos later!

ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Photos! Thanks to Les for the top view, from West Seattle. Next, Alki photographer David Hutchinson caught the Blues as seen over the earlier-generation Blue Angels Skyhawk jet in the Museum of Flight parking lot:

The next five are from WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams:

Listening to the narrative at the lake, we were reminded that these maneuvers are called “breaks”:

Gotta love “Fat Albert”:

In the background, the Cascades:

And another high-speed pass:

One more show to go – Sunday, same time, 1:30-ish takeoff.

garden_nymph August 4, 2012 (2:24 pm)

Cloudless blue sky, roar of Blue Angels’ jet engines, life is good!

The Original MB August 4, 2012 (2:41 pm)

Amen, garden_nymph!!!

Ex-Westwood Resident August 4, 2012 (3:43 pm)

WOW!!!
Went to the Museum of Flight with my son, to watch the Blue Angles, buy over-priced hotdogs and soda, and poster for the pilots to sign after the show. Something we had been doing for the past 10-11 years. Well, now in order to get to the east parking lot where the sales tent and hotdogs were you have to pay $17.00 for an adult and $9.00 for a child. Needless to say I was disgusted and both of us were disappointed we left after the take-off. This is a letter i sent to the President of the museum:

Today, 04 Aug 12, I took my son down to the Museum of Flight to watch the Blue Angles, something we have done EVERY year since he was 1 or 2 years old (he is 13 now). We would get there at about 12:00-12:30 (on both Saturday and Sunday), walk around the east parking lot and through the sales tent that is set up at the south end of the lot. We ALWAYS bought a poster and/or a t-shirt to have the Blue Angles sign after the show. We would then watch the take-off of the Blues and head over to buy the over-priced Hot Dog and Sodas to enjoy while the show was on. Then head over to get the pilots to sign the poster and/or t-shirt after they landed (we/I have 10 years of posters/photos hanging on the wall of my “man-cave” with their autographs). We would end the day/s be walking through the museum store and usually purchased a few additional items inside.

Imagine my and my son’s disappointment and disgust when, today, I learned it would cost $26.00; $52.00 for the weekend, to continue this Father/Son tradition. When I asked why, I was told that there were “A lot of added attractions to the lot this year.” From what I could see from the edge of the south lot, I saw 7 planes (two of which weren’t there last year), two “blow-up toys” and thats about it. Gone was the band that was usually there. Gone was even the hot dog stand that was run, I imagine by the cafe inside. We couldn’t even just walk through the sales tent to get the items for the pilots to sign.

While I understand that the cost also included admission to the museum, that is not why we were there. We usually visit the museum at least twice, if not more, times a year and were members until last year when I was relocated to Newport, OR because of my job. Needless to say I don’t think we will be visiting as much, nor getting a new membership anytime soon, if ever.

So in closing I just want to give you and the person/s responsible for this POOR decision, a BIG THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS on ending an 11 year father/son tradition.

WSB August 4, 2012 (11:49 pm)

Ex-WR – so you can’t get into the parking lot on the runway side at all without paying admission? I have not been to MoF yet, was planning to go tomorrow. Not a factor for me because I have a Seafair media pass but I’m concerned because I have evangelized the “watch from Museum of Flight” angle for years and did not know they had changed anything this year. – TR

Harold Reems August 4, 2012 (4:54 pm)

Enjoyed watching the Angels take off and had a blast at the Museum of Flight this morning.

Nothing says summer in Seattle like Seafair!!!

Jeff Richards August 4, 2012 (7:05 pm)

You have absolutely nothing to complain about – you could watch the Blues from the bridge for free. You claim you spend money at the Museum store but then whine when it costs you to go in – spend the money to go in and skip the t-shirt at the store.

Why dont’t you go buy some hot dogs by the hydro pits and then tell me the ones at the Museum of Flight cost too much! Oops, I should mention that it will cost you to get to the pits too.

The only time I didn’t make Seafair, since 1988, was when the FAA was reworking the Blues course and tehy didn;t come to Seattle.

whuut August 4, 2012 (7:43 pm)

Ex – bummer. Did you know that the MoF is free the first Thursday of the month between 5-9PM? Hope that helps take out a bit of the sting.

Ex-Westwood Resident August 5, 2012 (9:01 am)

TR – Correct. You can watch from the south side of the museum, but to get to the runway (east) side of the museum it will cost regular admission prices.
Whuut – That I did not know. Thanks.
Jeff – You miss the point.

MSB August 5, 2012 (11:49 am)

We watched from the east fenceline along Airport Way. The photos I shot were spectacular and the parking was free. While next year, I’ll think about paying admission and seeing the team up close, I really believe I had a better vantage point for launch and landing approach.

Times change, and unfortunately, tickets prices with them. But you can’t replace seeing these magnificent planes and their stellar crew up close, especially if you have children whom you want to influence in a very positive way. My Dad was a Navy aviator, and air shows were our family outing. There was never any question that his daughters were expected to be educated and interested in the world around themselves, and these air shows were a big part of that influence.

Jiggers August 5, 2012 (1:55 pm)

I can’t wait when all this crap is over. Back to normal.

Anne August 5, 2012 (3:11 pm)

Love this” crap” !!! Sad when it’s over. Back to ho- hum.

Tracy White August 5, 2012 (9:10 pm)

Bring the crap on! I spent all day Saturday at the MOF in the VIP section getting sun burnt. @ MSB – if you can get into the VIP section, it beats the east side of the runway, and you can see more of the actual show.
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I know someone who works at the MOF and remarked on Ex’s post. She crinkled her nose and rolled her eyes; apparently it was as much to cut out an undesirable element as much as it was to extract money. There have been problems for many years with “groupies” showing up early, filling the parking lots, and fighting over some of the spaces apparently.
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I don’t see how taking away most of the parking for visitors helps this in any way, but perhaps it just shifts it off site and thus the MOF can say “not my problem.”
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Now, just to clarify, she’s not management and had nothing to do with the decisions to do what they did, so this is not official MOF policy.

WS expat August 9, 2012 (11:36 am)

@Ex-Westwood
I’m with Jeff. What IS the point? It’s too bad your “tradition” is spoiled, but nothing stays exactly the same forever. I’ve been away from WS – family business – but I’ve enjoyed seeing the Angels since 1993. (Except the year the Snow Geese filled in for them and Seattle was so rude about it!) There’s always something new to see at MoF so I wouldn’t mind paying more to park and tour the museum before takeoff. If having to pay more $$ is the point, why aren’t you writing snarky letters to the presidents of the major grocery and cinema chains? The price of everything has gone up. I believe a check of the MoF website would have alerted you to the policy change. Most of us can cope. Eat before you go. Purchase a poster or t-shirt online and bring it for the pilots to sign. Continue your tradition. Guess complaining doesn’t take as much thought.
See you next year, Angels!

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