Anybody gonna fly your airplane to see the total eclipse of the Sun?

Just checked the rental schedule (damn I miss my plane) and there might be one available. Anyone ever see one from the air? Is it worth seeing? Or is it better from the ground? I live about 50 miles from the path.
 
I don't have a Lear Jet. (since we are making song references)
 
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There happens to be an excellent app for pilots planning to fly to an airport, to view the eclipse.

EclipseFlite. For iOS. Free, if I recall correctly.

It shows a map with both the eclipse path and airports. You can click on the airports to get the weather.

I plan to use it to decide that morning where to fly, for clear skies.
 
I'm flying to Knoxville area. The day off the event I'd have to chose drive(ride rather) to view in Smokeys or fly further if the weather is questionable.
 
Although I love the Smokies and TN would be a lot closer than NE, it's one of the cloudiest places in the country and pretty much last on my list of places to fly to for an astronomical event.

Of course, you never know with the weather. Which is why I'm keeping my options open until the last minute.
 
I'm heading to Nashville or thereabouts in an Arrow. Might do Columbia, SC if weather is OK - inlaws live there so "hotel" would be free.
 
I will be working that day but in the CLT area the eclipse is supposed to be approx 98%. Close enough to not make it worthwhile to travel anywhere or take time off for it.
 
I'm seriously considering flying from KSCK to S45. It's about 3.5 hrs each way. No way I'll convince my wife to take that long of a flight, but my daughter will probably want to go. And S45 is right next to the beach, nearly directly under the eclipse path. I'm just having a hard time justifying spending $400 in gas for 1:58 of entertainment. I can afford it, but I'm still having a hard time justifying it. Must come from all those years of being dirt poor.
 
Hey I flew MA to FL 6x times in hopes of seeing one of the last shuttle launches before retirement. Pretty similar, except eclipses don't get scrubbed.


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gsengle said:
Hey I flew MA to FL 6x times in hopes of seeing one of the last shuttle launches before retirement. Pretty similar, except eclipses don't get scrubbed.


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Yeah but Shuttle launches didn't always get scrubbed either. Even when they should have been.
 
Rykymus said:
I'm seriously considering flying from KSCK to S45. It's about 3.5 hrs each way. No way I'll convince my wife to take that long of a flight, but my daughter will probably want to go. And S45 is right next to the beach, nearly directly under the eclipse path. I'm just having a hard time justifying spending $400 in gas for 1:58 of entertainment. I can afford it, but I'm still having a hard time justifying it. Must come from all those years of being dirt poor.
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I can very definitely understand that. But my wife has been working hard to help me overcome that feeling.
 
Rykymus said:
I'm seriously considering flying from KSCK to S45.
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As someone who lives across the street from KONP there is a risk of our usual marine layer causing problems with viewing. As nice as the coast is you may want to look at what other options there are farther East for a backup plan.
 
I've got a daughter in Goose Creek, SC and a daughter in Greer, SC. We will be visiting one or the other, depending on weather.
 
luvflyin said:
Just checked the rental schedule (damn I miss my plane) and there might be one available. Anyone ever see one from the air? Is it worth seeing? Or is it better from the ground? I live about 50 miles from the path.
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The biggest issue would be that until totality you wouldn't be able to view the eclipse. Unless of course you were wearing eye protection and in that event, you wouldn't be able to see your panel. It would be cool to see from the air though. Alaska Airlines has a eclipse tour flight that is going up.

I've googled airborne images of the eclipse and it's pretty cool, especially if you're high enough to physically see the shadow on the surface of the earth.
 
Since I haven't seen a mention of NC, I will put in a plug. I will be going up to Highlands, NC (western part) via 24A (Jackson County Airport just outside Sylva, NC). The High Hampton Inn in Highlands is having an eclipse lawn party and will arrange pickup from 24A. Just mind the 300 ft. drop-off at each end of the runway 15/33. 100LL is available as well as tie-downs.
 
That time of year and day usually means thunderstorms, but if weather is good...
 
I cant find nuthin on what its like to see it from
labbadabba said:
The biggest issue would be that until totality you wouldn't be able to view the eclipse. Unless of course you were wearing eye protection and in that event, you wouldn't be able to see your panel. It would be cool to see from the air though. Alaska Airlines has a eclipse tour flight that is going up.

I've googled airborne images of the eclipse and it's pretty cool, especially if you're high enough to physically see the shadow on the surface of the earth.
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I saw that Alaska video from years ago. I wasn't thinking so much of seeing the sun but the view of what happens on the ground. Probably not much to see from a low altitude.
 
FlyingElvii said:
Indy-based, as well... Weather dependent, anywhere from Perrysville, MO, to Crossville, Tn. Our first choice is Springfield, TN M91.
NOTE: Hopkinsville, KY is charging a $150 landing fee for this. It seems to be where the media is concentrating.
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Dang, that's one of the places I was considering. Guess I need to call to see who's trying to snag money out of this.


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mtuomi said:
Difference between seeing the corona and not seeing the corona - 99% eclipse is not really worth seeing, 100% definitely is. That is a bigger difference than numbers show :)
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Right. People don't realize just how much brighter the Sun's surface is compared with the corona. It takes only a tiny piece of that surface to completely blot it out. Even during a very nice annular eclipse that I saw many years ago, the corona was not visible even though the coverage of the Sun was within decimal points of 100%. It was noticeably twilight-ish at maximum eclipse - but no corona.
 
mtuomi said:
Difference between seeing the corona and not seeing the corona - 99% eclipse is not really worth seeing, 100% definitely is. That is a bigger difference than numbers show :)
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Just tell him it's a log scale...
 
azure said:
Right. People don't realize just how much brighter the Sun's surface is compared with the corona. It takes only a tiny piece of that surface to completely blot it out. Even during a very nice annular eclipse that I saw many years ago, the corona was not visible even though the coverage of the Sun was within decimal points of 100%. It was noticeably twilight-ish at maximum eclipse - but no corona.
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Exactly. I'm a bit of an eclipse geek - I've traveled around the world to see them since 2006 (Turkey, Siberia, China, Australia, Easter Island etc..)
99% might sound like 100%, but it is a completely different sight to see.
 
NoHeat said:
Looks like Kansas City is the only Class Bravo airport to see totality.

I wonder if there will be NOTAMs.
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:)

"Notices to Airmen: Airport will be dark. Then airport will be light. Do not panic. The Sun God is not angered. We have lights. SIGMET for darkness has been issued for portions of multiple States. Hazardous space solar geometry along a path of the solar eclipse, for continuous light loss and mountain obscuration, is available from Flight Watch or Flight Service. Advise the controller on initial contact, you have November."

:)
 
denverpilot said:
:)

"Notices to Airmen: Airport will be dark. Then airport will be light. Do not panic. The Sun God is not angered. We have lights. SIGMET for darkness has been issued for portions of multiple States. Hazardous space solar geometry along a path of the solar eclipse, for continuous light loss and mountain obscuration, is available from Flight Watch or Flight Service. Advise the controller on initial contact, you have November."

:)
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That would be August instead of November
 
Velocity173 said:
Oh, didn't know they went that far inland. Another place I saw a crapload was Cat Island Golf Course. They were everywhere there.
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That should make the drop after putting one in a water hazard interesting...
 
denverpilot said:
:)

"Notices to Airmen: Airport will be dark. Then airport will be light. Do not panic...Advise the controller on initial contact, you have a flashlight."

:)
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FTFY
 
tlglenn said:
I'm thinking about heading to Nebraska or Missouri.
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Falls City, NE is where I think I'm going. St. Joseph I think will be a madhouse and I've also heard rumor that they'll close the airport down for a watch party since the center of the totality actually passes directly over the south end of the runway.
 
I'll be heading to Charleston. Have family down there and since the eclipse falls on my birthday, it should be a good time.
 
A friend and I are planning a trip up to Oregon to watch. Gonna try to hit the evergreen museum during the trip. Maybe if the weather is clear we'll watch from there. Otherwise we'll fly to somewhere clear.
 
GRG55 said:
That should make the drop after putting one in a water hazard interesting...
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That's exactly what happened to a friend when I played there. He was trying to drop by the hazard but a gator was right by where his ball went in. It was only a little guy (3 ft) but he just sat there and hissed at him. Decided to find another place to drop.

Back in the day, Hunting Island SC had some large ones in a pond that you could go out and watch them feed them. Same place where the Vietnam scenes in Forrest Gump were filmed. SC has lots of gators.

Heck, at Parris Island they warned us that if we tried to escape, odds were either gators or sharks would get ya. 2 recruits tried it when I was there and they didn't make it. :(
 
I've got one of the club's 172s reserved. Haven't decided whether to fly down to the Willamette valley or the central part of Oregon yet. Fly down, watch the eclipse and fly home.
 
denverpilot said:
:)

"Notices to Airmen: Airport will be dark. Then airport will be light. Do not panic. The Sun God is not angered. We have lights. SIGMET for darkness has been issued for portions of multiple States. Hazardous space solar geometry along a path of the solar eclipse, for continuous light loss and mountain obscuration, is available from Flight Watch or Flight Service. Advise the controller on initial contact, you have November."

:)
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I found an old post, following the 2012 eclipse that hit the West Coast of the U.S.:

During a previous eclipse in the northwest US (I'll let you look that up) Seattle Center did broadcast a verbal NOTAM that all solar powered aircraft should land immediately ​
 
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