Very nice. Blanching makes sense. Never had luck with raw potatoes on a griddle or cast iron skillet.
For fries it made sense and worked well, they cooked evenly and crisped nicely. Yesterday I made what were essentially home fries as a side. Yukon Gold, sliced very thin, they turned out almost like potato chips, no pre cooking needed.
I was talking myself into a new Blackstone with the air fryer, but for me it's not worth the expense. I achieve pretty decent results with the methods I'm using.