The Boeing Seafair Air Show today through this weekend will be even more exciting at KCIA, since the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are based at the terminal side of the airport instead of the Museum of Flight. 

The Blue Angels now fly the new Boeing F/A 18 Super Hornet Jet, rumored to be bigger and faster than ever. The Boeing Seafair Air Show also will feature the new U.S. Navy C-130 J Hercules, known as Fat Albert, and the U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II Demonstration Team. 

Note that the I-90 Bridge will remain open during the performances. 

Performances are Aug. 5 - Aug. 7. For the complete schedule and more details, see the Boeing Seafair Air Show. 

The public is welcome to watch from locations outside the airport fence, including Ruby Chow Park on the north end of the airfield.

County employees and their families had a sneak peak on Thursday, August 4, when they watched the Blue Angels fly out of KCIA for a practice run. Pilots waved from the cockpit as they taxied past the crowd. Kids and adults alike grinned and waved. 

Photo above: Three Blue Angels pilots greet the crowd during their walkdown prior to Thursday's practice run.

Last month Plane Talk introduced you to five new airport interns. We have another to welcome!  

Ella Wilson, CAD Designer Intern

Sophomore, Roosevelt High School

Wilson will be learning and participating in drawing and mapping projects involving KCIA’s CAD and/or technical data.  She will be providing basic graphic, drafting, and mapping support including field measurements and sketching.  Ella will be working closely and supporting Brent Bagley (Designer Solutions Analyst) in organizing and verifying consultant/contractors project documents and gathering data for engineering and related projects. 

“I've grown up in Seattle my whole life and have been going to The Museum of Flight since I was a kid,” Wilson said. “I'm currently pursuing my level 1 high power rocketry license and I'm in the Roosevelt Rocketry club.”

“My favorite hobby (and my only hobby) is plane spotting. At least two days of the week you can find me perched outside of either Sea-Tac or Boeing Field’s fence. My favorite plane out of Sea-Tac is without a doubt the 747 but out of Boeing Field, it's the MD-11s. Over quarantine I've learned how to tell some planes by how they sound. My all-time favorite plane is the 747, I even have it stitched into my shoes!”

“I love both aviation and aerospace. I'm working on my private pilot's license so currently I fly a Cessna 172 but hopefully one day I will pilot a rocket into space! I'm also the first person in my family to pursue a career in aviation and I'm an identical twin! My favorite memory at Boeing Field so far was when a female MD-11 pilot waved at me while I was plane spotting.”

Brian Bartley, Capital Projects Manager II

Bartley was previously a MPA Intern at the airport and is now in a career service position.

“I am excited to join King County International Airport as project manager with the engineering team. I recently graduated from University of Washington's Graduate School of Public Policy and Governance where I studied program evaluation and finance.

My career has centered on the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of development programs. I have been fortunate to work on topics ranging from expanding rural water supply infrastructure in West Africa to community engagement right here at KCIA. Though my experience has touched a broad variety of topics, it has always focused on elevating the voices of stakeholders and building a strong base of support in order to achieve sustainable program outcomes.

I look forward to working with the engineering team on planning, evaluation, and project controls for the capital improvement program. I will also be supporting process improvements in grant applications and CIP budget preparation.

I live with my family in Auburn, Washington where we have bees, chickens, and a dog.”

Did you know that all Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) employees at King County International Airport are Emergency Medical Technicians? And that they all take quarterly training to maintain their EMT certification?

“ARFF provides many critical services to the employees, tenants, and visitors of the airport,” said ARFF Chief Greg Thomas. “They take pride in keeping those skills sharpened.”

The most recent training took place June 29 and July 6. Topics included Epinephrine injection for anaphylactic shock, donning/doffing medical personal protective equipment (PPE), infectious disease prevention, and a “full-dress rehearsal” of a simulated cardiac arrest.

During the training scenario, ARFF deputies practiced radio procedures to summon mutual aid support, coordination with Airport Operations, and most important: high-quality CPR with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Ever thought about what happens if you get stuck in an elevator?

If you’re at KCIA, the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit, recently trained in elevator rescues, would be the first to respond.

Classroom instruction covered various topics, including elevator designs, safely shutting down power and gaining access to the occupants inside. Training continued at the elevator in the airport’s main terminal building. ARFF members practiced manual shutdowns, opening exterior and interior doors to gain access to the shaft, and lowering the elevator car to simulate an emergency rescue.

The training was conducted by the South King County Fire Training Consortium (SKCFTC).

“Boeing Field is fortunate to have incredible support from our neighboring jurisdictions,” said ARFF Training Officer MPO Ron Darnall, who coordinated the event. “Their highly-trained special rescue teams are just a dispatch request away. This training allows our resident ARFF Unit to begin immediate rescue in emergency situations while mutual aid support is enroute.”