As the smoke clears, we can see farther. For quick reference, here are the distances to familiar landmarks from Skyline:
- 0.75 mile to Swedish Cherry Hill (ex-Providence Hospital) or the three TV towers at 17th & Madison
- 1 mile to that reddish hospital to the south on Beacon Hill (now the Pacific Medical Center, formerly the USPHS or “Merchant Marine” hospital)
- 1.5 miles to the Space Needle
- 2.25 miles to the Queen Anne TV towers
- 3 miles to West Seattle, or to Pier 91
- 3 miles to Gasworks Park, or the I-5 highrise bridge (due north of us)
- 4 miles to the UW Tower at NE 45th & Brooklyn NE
- 8 miles to Bellevue highrises or to Bainbridge Island
- 11 miles to the SEATAC airport control tower (due south, infrequently visible).
The test of visibility, at least for pilots operating with eyesight alone (VFR rules), is whether one could spot an airplane at a distance of three miles. Anything less and we are not allowed to take off. Aloft, we have to keep three miles from clouds that might conceal a plane operating on instruments (IFR rules).
