City Sky NASCAR
It’s that time of year again! Every August, Seattle is treated to 4 days of being under attack by jet fighters in the form of the Blue Angels performing at Sea Fair. Aptly described by a friend as “sky NASCAR”, these giant wastes of taxpayers’ dollars whiz around the city at like 300 feet all weekend, scaring the bejeeezus out of everybody.
It’s. Really. Really. LOUD.
Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t enjoy fighter jets screaming around the city. It makes me uneasy. Call me crazy.
For more fun, see the Blue Angels’ Frequently Asked Questions. You get the feeling that some of these questions aren’t frequently asked, but that they made the question just up to have a place to put the answer.
How much fuel is used over the course of a year, including transportation, training, etc.?Over a one-year period, the squadron, including Fat Albert, uses approximately 3.1 million gallons of fuel
Wow!
What is the distance under Fat Albert’s propellers to the ground?The distance under Fat Albert’s propellers to the ground is approximately six feet.
Damn! 6 feet?! I was just going to frequently ask that!
How do team members deal with the time away from home?Individuals are made aware that they will be away from home a lot before they volunteer for duty with the team and are selected based on their ability to cope with, not only family separation, but with a strenuous practice and show schedule. Additionally, the Navy, Blue Angels, and civilian communities at Pensacola and El Centro provide a family-type support network.
Ah yes. A family-type support network. That’s the best kind.
It would be nice if someone would circulate a petition to get rid of the blue angels at Seafair. I don't know a single person who actually likes fighter planes in Seattle and it seems to completely go against the pacifist spirit of the city. We seem to be able to shoot down every other activity in this city - why don't we we kill this one?