West Seattle, Washington

19 Sunday

38℉

Here’s when the Blue Angels arrive in Seattle for Seafair – and what’s different this year

August 1, 2022 10:07 am
|      85 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

(2019 photo by David Hutchinson)

ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: You probably know by now that the U.S.Navy’s Blue Angels are performing at Seafair this Friday-Sunday, and practicing Thursday. Since they’re based at nearby Boeing Field during their Seafair visits, their arrival is also a matter of West Seattle interest, and we’ve received a few questions about the arrival schedule.

During their last visit in 2019, they came here directly after the previous weekend’s air-show appearance in Colorado. This past weekend, they were at an airshow in Dayton, Ohio, but instead of heading here, they went back to their home base in Pensacola, Florida, last night. So when do the Blue Angels get here? According to Ted Huetter of the Museum of Flight, which hosts a big weekend Jet Blast Bash centered on their visit: The #7 advance plane arrives sometime 12:30 pm Tuesday (and will be providing “influencer rides” – like the ones that result in the TV “what it’s like to fly with a Blue Angel” stories every year – starting Wednesday morning). The other six are due in around 1:30 pm Wednesday. Times are always subject to change. One note: Instead of parking at the Museum of Flight, this year the Blue Angels’ jets will be by the Boeing Field terminal. As the MoF notes on this page, you can watch the takeoffs from their parking lot Thursday and Friday, but Saturday and Sunday the MoF lot will be an admission-only zone as part of Jet Blast Bash.

P.S. In case you’ve wondered about this, no, I-90 will NOT be closing for Blue Angels flights/practices. Starting in 2019, they made changes to avoid having to do that.

TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Seafair says the other 6 Blue Angels are due in closer to 12:30 pm Wednesday.

Share This

85 Replies to "Here's when the Blue Angels arrive in Seattle for Seafair - and what's different this year"

  • Go Blue Angels August 1, 2022 (11:14 am)

    I love having the Blue Angels in town!  I’m sure someone will be along shortly to complain about the noise or the expense or the military or whatever else is sanding up their business but for me and thousands of others it’s always a thrill to see these talented pilots do their thing over Lake Washington. 

    • Patti August 2, 2022 (1:21 pm)

      I LOVE THE BLUE ANGELS!!!

      • Derek August 3, 2022 (11:48 am)

        I am sorry but I find these noise and planet polluters disgusting. This needs to stop happening. They frighten people with PTSD and they pollute the planet. And on top of that a collosal waste of money!!!

        • Jason August 3, 2022 (1:33 pm)

          🤣🤣🤣🤣wah wah

        • Donovan August 3, 2022 (5:20 pm)

          I read your post. I am one of many people that love it. The kids can get inspired to join the service. I do believe in climate change. So make the rich people drive a telsa and quit flying private jets. They will not save us from Russia/ China. 

    • Tracy August 3, 2022 (9:52 am)

      Where is the best place to watch the practice on Thursday and do they fly if it’s raining? As the weather is changing.Thank yoh

  • Mike August 1, 2022 (11:55 am)

    Oh boy–it’ll be great to see our tax dollars at work again. But, uhm, well–can somebody please explain why I’m not supposed to have a gas water heater now? ‘Cause I’m just tryin’ to make sense of it all, y’know?

    • Nuclear Marc August 1, 2022 (12:09 pm)

      Because tankless or ‘on demand’ doesn’t burn energy forever, only when you need water heated. They are smaller, too.

    • Emerald August 1, 2022 (12:15 pm)

      Just so you know…Seattle Seafair Org. pays for the Blue Angels to come to the event. Funds come from the purchase of tickets,  reservations, and sponsorship.  The cost does NOT come from taxes.

      • Bryant August 3, 2022 (9:10 am)

        Actually, the Blue Angels have a tour budget this year, about $37,000,000. One hour of flight time per jet costs about $25,000.So a one hour show with 6 jets adds up to approximately $150,000.4 days of flying adds up to $600,000, plus the cost of jet #7 flights and Fat Albert. I estimate a total of about $775,000 for this week.

        • bill August 3, 2022 (4:46 pm)

          Cheap compared to what we sent and will send to Ukraine and other countries we get nothing from 

      • Bryant August 3, 2022 (9:18 am)

        The F35 flying this week costs about $29,000 per hour to fly. It will fly three shows this week for about 30 minutes each. That will cost tax payers about $$44,000.

        • Ken Scott August 6, 2022 (8:22 am)

          Math is hard for you.. yeah?

      • Maureen August 3, 2022 (10:00 am)

        Thank you for shutting up the complainers!! 😂

    • Neighbor August 1, 2022 (12:16 pm)

      If you have confused a water heater with an F/A-18 you are beyond the help available in an internet comment section.

      • Bill August 1, 2022 (1:03 pm)

        Ah! An actual voice of reason! Thanks! I needed that!

      • Z Erb August 1, 2022 (1:41 pm)

        Wait, are you saying you couldn’t heat your water with an F/A-18? Is there a building code that specifically doesn’t allow that?

        • Rick August 1, 2022 (8:14 pm)

          I could heat water with an F/A 18, An F-4, an F111, a 135,141,UH1, and my personal favorite, an SR71. Loved working on those puppies.

        • Litesong August 7, 2022 (7:31 pm)

          Yeah…..Noise restrictions in the neighborhood. Also, fires burning down homes would deter the use of water-heating F-18’s. 

    • Ron Swanson August 1, 2022 (1:44 pm)

      There is no non-combustion alternative available in the “fighter plane” market, there is in the “water heating” market.  

    • David August 3, 2022 (1:00 pm)

      Omg just enjoy life dude. Stop being miserable!

      • bill August 3, 2022 (4:52 pm)

        HAHA INDEED ,,cant put a price tag on that exhilarating feeling ,,think people go to see the boat races ,,

  • Mike August 1, 2022 (11:57 am)

    • Use ret. August 2, 2022 (4:40 am)

      Hey Mike It was a fair you’re wishing you happy a  I happy  Seafair. Wish you were stateside to whoop it up..I’ll bust a fatty for ya!!!  Am I ura

  • Jim Clark August 1, 2022 (12:04 pm)

    Plus the Blue Angels are not flying until 3pm on Friday Saturday and Sunday

  • Mike August 1, 2022 (12:15 pm)

    Hmm–wonder how many gas water heaters this is?

    • K August 1, 2022 (2:20 pm)

      This is a photo of people, Mike.

      • Neighbor August 1, 2022 (3:27 pm)

        WSB’s image links have been completely broken for about a week now.  It seems to affect historical posts as well.  The main article images seem fine but images in comments seem to point to the wrong files.

        • waikikigirl August 1, 2022 (5:37 pm)

          I noticed that too. (Wrong pic)

  • SR August 1, 2022 (12:33 pm)

    Now that the show has been moved further from I-90, where is the best FREE place to watch the show? Happy to bike or drive over to the lake…  

    • MJ August 1, 2022 (1:09 pm)

      Beacon Hill/Jefferson Park is a decent free spot to watch from. Another (not free) option is the Columbia Tower observation deck. Used to only be $5 but a new company bought the space and it’s around $15 now I think. Watching the show from high up was interesting since you can see a lot more of it, Vs occasional fly by.

    • Kristen August 2, 2022 (4:35 pm)

      Curious about this as well!

  • Delridge neighbor August 1, 2022 (12:59 pm)

    I would assume with climate change becoming a national emergency and crisis we need to STOP having pollution emitting air shows as entertainment.  Guess the human nature for selfishness overrules the desires to repair the damage we’ve done to our earth. 

  • StopCuttingDownTrees August 1, 2022 (1:00 pm)

    I’m thrilled that the Blue Angels are back! It’s barely Seafair without them. It’s something the entire metro region can enjoy for free 4 days in a row.

    • Dave August 1, 2022 (3:58 pm)

      Why were the Blue Angles gone? They always wore masks and stayed 6′ apart. 

      • Odd Son August 1, 2022 (5:06 pm)

        Dave for the win! 🤣

      • StopCuttingDownTrees August 1, 2022 (10:20 pm)

        Best comment on the Internet today.

      • ~Hockeywitch~ August 2, 2022 (12:39 pm)

        Exactly Dave…lol. They were the best example of wearing masks and distancing…

      • Litesong August 7, 2022 (7:41 pm)

        No, Blue Angels only flew 5 feet apart….maybe a bit closer when one F-18 flew inverted, directly over a right-side-up F-18.

  • Graciano August 1, 2022 (1:22 pm)

    Woohoo, I want to go for a ride in number 7. :D

    I know Tracy at the WSB is going to get me the hook up!

    • WSB August 1, 2022 (2:24 pm)

      Sorry, no connections. Will be interesting to see what constitutes “influencer” these days – used to be mostly just TV people (with the unavoidable “and here’s the moment when (anchor/reporter) threw up” scene), today I’d guess there’s probably somebody with a six-or-seven-digit social-media following who’s going to get to turn their flight highlights into a TikTok video … P.S. Update from Ted at MoF, the #7 jet is due in around 12:30 pm tomorrow. – TR

  • just sayin' August 1, 2022 (2:23 pm)

    yeah-and what information is or has been documented concerning the pollution-causing aspect of air shows in general? (just wait for electric planes i suppose?)
    and oh yeah- i have an electric water heater BUT have an oil furnace.  Its newer and and as energy efficient as ever. (i understand energy studies find heating oil has the highest btu rating and heats the best)
    How many houses in Seattle currently have oil furnaces/use heating oil to warm their homes during chilly times?????
    so Seattle leaders: give us a break please (+ the current ppg is so expensive; it’s eating away at my current middle-class income)

  • BluesFan August 1, 2022 (2:31 pm)

    Why are the Blue Angles parking at the Boeing Field terminal and not at the Museum of Flight like past years?

    • WSB August 1, 2022 (5:09 pm)

      I hadn’t taken the time to ask as it was hard enough just to track down the WHEN answer … but after seeing your comment I asked King County’s Boeing Field spokesperson Cameron Satterfield, who replied:

      The reason for this is because the Blue Angels now use a different aircraft in their shows, the F/A-18 Super Hornet. There wasn’t enough room in the old location near MoF to accommodate these new larger aircraft and all the associated support gear.

      We’d also like folks to be aware that there will be no general public access to vehicle parking at the terminal while the Blues are here. Those who want to watch the practices will need to find other viewing locations outside the airport perimeter, such as from Ruby Chow Park on the north end of the airfield.

  • Mark August 1, 2022 (2:40 pm)

    MILITARY MADNESS at its best right here at home. does this make us safer?do +800 military bases overseas do anything for we, the people or just corporations with military contracts?WSB; are there WS flyovers so some can ooh and awe?

    • Go Blue Angels August 1, 2022 (8:12 pm)

      You are welcome to just stay home, shut your blinds and grind your teeth in anger as the rest of the residents of this region enjoy the show and celebrate our brave men & women who do the tough jobs to keep us safe.  The best part is, they’ll keep on doing it regardless of whether you think they should or not.

      • bill August 3, 2022 (5:53 pm)

         OH YEAH,,AMEN TO THAT !!

    • Neighbor August 3, 2022 (11:42 am)

      The US Military is a jobs program.  It employs hundreds of thousands of people directly and millions more indirectly.  And yes, it also keeps us and our allies safe.  It’s the most successful socialist program in human history.

  • Seattlite August 1, 2022 (4:40 pm)

    My best photos of the Blue Angels, maybe five or six years ago, were when they flew around the space needle and then low across downtown Seattle.  So happy they are back in 2022.

  • Carter August 1, 2022 (5:04 pm)

    Ever since I was a kid I always felt like the Blue Angels home was here in WA, and we just shared their badassary with everyone else. You’re welcome 

  • TJ August 1, 2022 (6:44 pm)

    I used to be a huge pro-military and American flag guy, but have lost a lot of that faith. We are not as safe now as we were 5 years ago with our military presence all over the world. With the entitlement mentality in this country now, we don’t have the money to be the protector of everyone. You want to know how other countries have better health care than here? Because they know we are invested in protecting them. We have given Ukraine more than 4 times the amount of money of all of Europe combined, and that war is in their backyard. Time to let them deal with it. I can do without the Blue Angels now  

    • Cold Cold Heart August 1, 2022 (8:16 pm)

      I’m not sure I understand your argument here TJ.  Are you suggesting we should be providing less support to Ukraine?  Just leave them to fight alone?

    • DB August 2, 2022 (12:01 am)

      TJ don’t blame the military or the Blue Angels, blame the govt that runs (and ruins) the military. 

    • BILL August 3, 2022 (5:14 pm)

      I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY CEPT NO B A 

    • TT August 4, 2022 (2:55 pm)

      And let Russia and China roll over everyone till they’re at our shores? No thanks. Better to fight that war on someone else’s turf, before we have to fight it here. Cold reality, but the truth.

  • TJ August 1, 2022 (9:07 pm)

    Yes CCH, that’s what I’m saying. Two major wars in a little over a hundred years that America had to get involved in. And now this. Europe can’t seem to get it together. America shouldn’t bankroll Ukraine’s fight. Not saying we shouldn’t contribute, but it should be a lot less than what the rest of Europe gives. It’s more in their interest to not spiral out of control. This topic has gone off the rails some. I was just making a personal statement that we aren’t as safe as we were not too long ago, and with the domestic state of this country now I don’t think we need to get all celebratory now.

    • Cold Cold Heart August 2, 2022 (9:44 pm)

      A certain German chancellor would have loved to hear you say that in 1939.

    • bill August 3, 2022 (5:16 pm)

      we need to always celebrate freedom 

  • Mbf73 August 2, 2022 (6:28 am)

    Any info on when Fat Albert is arriving? (…and here comes the smart-alec responses.)

  • Highlight of the year August 2, 2022 (9:59 am)

    Any information on if they will be doing autographs now that their parking location has changed?

    • WSB August 2, 2022 (10:25 am)

      Boeing Field has gone to lengths to say that the new parking location is not publicly accessible. So unless there are events in connection with the Museum of Flight event this weekend, I think those days of hanging out “on the fence” to see the pilots’ walkdown, get autographs, etc., are over. – TR

  • Pauline August 2, 2022 (10:08 am)

    My best view of the Blue Angels is from my backyard in Renton Highlands, where they fly so ridiculously low that I can literally see the pilot’s facial features as their aircraft turns.  There is NO WAY their altitude over our residential neighborhood is either legal or safe.  But HOO-RAH MILITARY!!  If I complain at all, I’m anti-Seattle, anti-American, anti-patriotism, at least that’s how everyone around here acts.  So every year we’ll just cross our fingers that they don’t crash in our neighborhood or any of the other residential neighborhoods that they fly over with no regard for the safety or sanity of the people who live there.  Yay Blue Angels!  Thank you for triggering the PTSD of my veteran neighbors, traumatizing the animals that we live with, and spewing thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the atmosphere!  Yayy!!

    • Neighbor August 3, 2022 (11:47 am)

      Cool!  Are you having a BBQ?  Sounds fun.

  • Francesca August 2, 2022 (11:37 am)

    Words can’t describe how much I hate the Blue Angels. Traumatic for wildlife, domestic pets, children, refugees from war zones, and yes, military veterans with PTSD. Expensive, dangerous, unnecessary, polluting nonsense that appeases something inside the masses. As if we don’t have enough to worry about already. Oh, and loud enough to cause permanent damage to your hearing. https://48hills.org/2019/10/the-problem-with-the-blue-angels/

  • babylove August 2, 2022 (12:00 pm)

    When I heard they were coming back, I literally cried. I was so happy. I have been watching them since I was a little girl. My grandma used to work at Boeing field and that time of year I would go to work with her and we would watch them take off and land and I got to meet with the pilots. There were a couple times I was given a radio where I could hear them talk to each other during the performances. The speed, the sounds, the rushing of my heart. This is the best time of year. For all those who hate the sound and think it is a waste of money or anything, we have been through too much to not enjoy some great flying and just some time in the sun. It is three days and about 20-30 minutes each time. And you know the schedule well in advance to make plans to not be home. Planes fly over us all day. And if you do the research, cars pollute the air about 57% more then planes or Jets.  Don’t ruin it for the rest of us! Go Blues! Can’t wait to see you fly in!! Welcome back!!

  • Joseph August 2, 2022 (4:11 pm)

    Seattle, and soon king county are banning natural gas because they want the area to be 100% carbon free.  So you and I must go all-electric.  That way, the carbon is generated somewhere else, because there are no power plants in Seattle.  There is a 730Mw coal plant in Centralia, 698Mw NATURAL GAS power plant in Chehalis, 698Mw NATURAL GAS power plant in Grays Harbor…But no natural gas for YOU.

  • Dave August 2, 2022 (10:04 pm)

    Ugh… I absolutely hate the blue angels. If voodoo dolls worked I’d be lighting them all on fire. 

  • Laurie Knott August 3, 2022 (9:38 am)

    You are the only one reporting that I-90 will NOT be closed.  There is a schedule out of closures Thursday, Friday, Sat and Sun.  Who’s right???  

    • WSB August 3, 2022 (10:06 am)

      What I published is a link directly from WSDOT (via Twitter). It’s their bridge; they are the source. Do you have a different WSDOT link? I will find a PIO to ask. If that was somehow an erroneous tweet, I would have hoped they would have long since deleted/corrected it.

      • WSB August 3, 2022 (10:17 am)

        Just talked to Bonnie Nau at WSDOT. She confirms, NO CLOSURE. If you’re seeing something else somewhere, you might contact them to suggest they correct it. (Added: And if you want yet further confirmation, the Seafair website says “no closure” too.)

  • bebopbill August 3, 2022 (11:16 am)

    The blue angels and the hydroplanes are a huge waste of money and oil.They are unsustainable and should be shut down.The U S military is the largest consumer entity of petroleum products in the whole world.The climate crisis is real. We need to recognize and deal with this reality. Our huge bloated military is a waste of blood , oil and human endeavores.  Huge military budgets are unsustainable .  Those monies need to be directed to preventing and mitigating climate change.

    • Dave August 3, 2022 (11:38 am)

      Yes!

  • Derek August 3, 2022 (11:50 am)

    I am so sick and tired of this every year. End this silly jingoistic display! Climate crisis is real and we willingly pollute for some jollies? Come on! This scares animals and my veteran grandfather as well! 

  • Winkandnod August 3, 2022 (4:25 pm)

    I think the only post that could engender even more polarized reactions would be if I were to pose a question about the correct ratio of water to sugar for hummingbird food…

  • Gary Coy August 4, 2022 (6:32 am)

  • Gary Coy August 4, 2022 (6:33 am)

  • Gary Coy August 4, 2022 (6:33 am)

  • LetThemFly August 4, 2022 (8:58 am)

    Does anyone know if the new parking location will affect the takeoff direction? My family would go to Ruby Chow park every year in george town so they’d take off over our heads!! The parks riddled with RV’s and etc. now, so i dont suggest it for familys, but its amazing feeling the ground shake from those monsters lifting off right above your head! 

  • Bob August 4, 2022 (1:15 pm)

    F*ck this noise. Bottom line, I didn’t buy tickets to an air show so they have no right to torture me and everyone else like this. Keep the noise to where the crowds gather only. If you can’t do that, then cancel the sh*t.

  • JUDY August 4, 2022 (10:32 pm)

    Everyone just relax and enjoy.  Stop being so up tight and let the people who like them enjoy them and if you don’t like the there will be a time they need to put up with your crap.   Life is to short.

Sorry, comment time is over.