Photo: Bruce Magnason
I'm here with Evan Elliott, Aircraft Collections Technician at the Seattle Museum of Flight Air Park across the street from the main Museum complex. Evan and his friends kindly rolled up a set of stairs to their 747, the City of Everett, and gave me an interior tour. I'd arranged for this a few weeks ahead of time when I first knew that I'd have this long SEA layover. So once again, thanks very much to Evan and his colleagues at the Museum for arranging this tour, as well as to John Wegg at AIRWAYS MAGAZINE.
This is the number one 747 that first flew on 9 February 1969 as we're joined in the cockpit by Bruce Magnason. This is far more than just a visual delight. The aroma in here speaks to "Old" airplanes and transports you back to an era of round dials, flight engineer panels and early jet engines. It's a fixed point in time, an undisturbed shrine to Bill Allen, Joe Sutter and others who accomplished the phenomenal feat of the Boeing 747.
If you've not visited the Museum of Flight yet, you need to put it on your list of things to do, it's fabulous. The red building is referred to as the Red Barn, the original Boeing factory built in 1909. Everywhere you look here it's full of history, our history, aviation history.
More on all this later, but I'll be away from my keyboard for five weeks... yes five weeks. So, as usual, thanks for following along and I'll see you in a month or so. To learn more about the museum, click on the link above or click over to Chris Sloan's site, go to the Museums tab and enjoy his photography.
Rand
If you're enjoying a long downtown SEA layover it's easy to get here. Take the 124 bus with $2.25 exact change (each way) and 25 minutes later you'll arrive at the Museum on Marginal Way. The entrance fee is $16.00 but if you have a Triple-A card it's $14.00. I failed to, but take a moment and visit the Boeing Store nearby too.
If you're enjoying a long downtown SEA layover it's easy to get here. Take the 124 bus with $2.25 exact change (each way) and 25 minutes later you'll arrive at the Museum on Marginal Way. The entrance fee is $16.00 but if you have a Triple-A card it's $14.00. I failed to, but take a moment and visit the Boeing Store nearby too.
Hey Rand,
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for a few years now. I guess you are off to the school house for training. Just wanted to say good luck and we will all be waiting for your first impressions of flying the 400.
MH
Rand,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that the Seattle Museum of Flight is excellent, I went there in 2009 when I was in Seattle visiting Family and it was a neat experience. Only problem was that I felt rushed since Dad took too long at the Art Museum Downtown......
Enjoy your training Rand!! You're about to attend what millions of pilots (well at least myself) fantasize about!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the training Rand! Hope the Queen of the Skies is as good to you as I'm sure you will be to her!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm jealous! I was at the MOF in November and marveled at "City of Everett" from below. I would have loved to see it from the inside. It's a shame that all the planes aren't open on the inside. I would have loved to see the inside of the Connie.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. It's 11:00 pm and I've just finished Day #1. I'M SWAMPED!!
ReplyDeleteRand
I can't believe you do training in 5 weeks. It took us four months! Actually, ours was way too long and easily could be compressed into 5-6 weeks. The exception being IOE at DAL is probably 25 hours and with us it was 25 sectors! Things are done a little differently on the far side of the earth.
ReplyDeleteWow - 5 weeks!!! What will we all do??? Good luck with your 747 training. Can't wait to read your first post. All the best.
ReplyDelete