Friday 25th March
Today we revisited the Boeing Museum of Flight after some 25 years and found it to be a much more expanded and informative experience. Built around the Red Barn which is Boeing’s original factory for making wooden aeroplanes, the expanded galleries show and tell the story of not only Boeing’s 100 years of aviation but the story of everyone’s aviation and space exploration. One can see Boeing aeroplanes of all ages cleverly displayed and even hanging from the roof.
Outside is the first Air Force One, Presidential aeroplane used by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, as well as the first Boeing 727, 737, 747 and 787. Awaiting in a pavilion due to open in June 2016 are Second World War aeroplanes as well as a Concorde from British Airways.
It is great to revisit because now the present day construction of aeroplanes is linked to the museum at Boeing Field and whilst we were there we saw two brand new 737s land, presumably after test flights from the nearby construction facility at Renton. One of these was for delivery to Ryanair (they are one of the biggest operators of 737s).
Later we moved to our hotel in the shadow of the Space Needle and were surprised at how big the room is and how marvellous the view.
With darkness setting in but having only travelled 30 miles we are definitely not ‘sleepless in Seattle’!
