Once a Blue Angel, always a Blue Angel.

Those were the words echoed by Major Drew Hess of the United States Marine Corps, a C-130 pilot for the U.S. Navy’s demonstration squad known as the Blue Angels. For the past three years, Hess has maneuvered the Blue Angels C-130 support plane called Fat Albert during 200 plus air shows across the country.

The 100,000 pound plane will fly once again high above south Lake Washington this weekend as part of the Seattle Seafair festivities.

“This is my third and final year flying with the Blue Angels,” Hess explained. “It’s been quite an adventure and I’ll miss working with such a great crew and traveling to cities all across the country. Imagine working with a great group of people who looked forward to coming to work everyday. It’s an amazing thing,” he added.

Fat Albert joined the Blue Angels team in 1970 and carries more than 40 maintenance and support personnel, gear, and enough spare parts and communication equipment to complete the nearly 70 air shows performed by the Blue Angels every year. At select show sites, Fat Albert demonstrates its jet-assisted takeoff (JATO) capability.

The KeyBank Air Show presented by Boeing is a long-standing tradition in Seattle, as crowds of people take to the water, land and bridge to watch the six pilots of the “Blue” Boeing F/A-18 Hornets take to the sky.

“Seattle, by far, is one of the best cities we visit,” Hess said. “Everyone here is so hospitable and Seattle is a beautiful city.”

As a Blue Angel, Hess serves as a positive role model and goodwill ambassador for the U.S Navy and Marine Corps.

“I love being in the air,” he said, “but having the opportunity to be on the ground, meeting the people who support the men and women in the military means the world to me.”

The Blue Angels are stationed at Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. They were first formed in 1946 as a flight demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation following World War II. The Blue Angels have since performed for more than 427 million fans worldwide.

“Being part of the Blue Angels is a lot bigger than any one of us, it stands for the bravery and sacrifice of those defending our country in the military,” Hess said. “”When someone walks up to me and shakes my hand to thank me for my service in the military, it makes it all worth it. These past three years will stay with me forever.”