Anyone flying to an airport in the 100% eclipse zone?

Salty said:
1400 wasn't a made up number. If you did (roughly) 1400 mph and started in the north west when the eclipse began you could experience totality for the entire eclipse.
Click to expand...
Amazing. I wouldn't have thought you could get that much.
 
Salty said:
1400 wasn't a made up number. If you did (roughly) 1400 mph and started in the north west when the eclipse began you could experience totality for the entire eclipse.
Click to expand...
Not quite. If you started flying at 1400 mph in the NW the shadow would pass you by in a few minutes. The speed of the shadow along the surface varies depending on the angle the shadow makes with the surface; the angle is more oblique when the Sun/Moon combo is lower in the sky, and so the relative speed is faster, when the eclipse starts in Oregon.

1400 would work a lot better in the SE.
 
azure said:
Not quite. If you started flying at 1400 mph in the NW the shadow would pass you by in a few minutes. The speed of the shadow along the surface varies depending on the angle the shadow makes with the surface; the angle is more oblique when the Sun/Moon combo is lower in the sky, and so the relative speed is faster, when the eclipse starts in Oregon.

1400 would work a lot better in the SE.
Click to expand...
You're absolutely correct. It's only going 1400 on the east coast. It going more like 2600 mph on the west coast, and the closer it gets to either end the faster it gets (exponentially), which makes perfect sense. So my statement was completely wrong.
 
blueskyMD said:
we are all assuming that it will be cloudless clear day. What if there is a 500 ft OC with 2 mile vis that day ?
Any back u plan? That's why I'm thinking about watching it while in air which gives me option of climbing on the top if needed.
Click to expand...
That is why we are planning an arc from Perrysville, mo, to eastern Tn.
 
Salty said:
You're absolutely correct. It's only going 1400 on the east coast. It going more like 2600 mph on the west coast, and the closer it gets to either end the faster it gets (exponentially), which makes perfect sense. So my statement was completely wrong.
Click to expand...
Lol. I was thinking about it and was getting ready to post "slappin self upside the head. I was over complicating this. It's a simple time and distance problem." Obviously not so. Flying it would be a real excercise in speed control.
 
I am headed to CAE if my plane gets put of annual in time. Its pretty close to the 100% area.
 
Triple Tree (sc00) is opening their field for camping that weekend (7000'x400' grass).
They also have quite a nice set up. If nearby, check it out. Plenty of room for parking planes there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We made reservations 3 years ago at a B&B in the Oregon desert right on the eclipse centerline. They have a dirt runway and we'll have our plane close to our cabin. I'm glad we made arrangements before it got crazy and prices started getting jacked up. We're looking forward to taking pictures of the traffic jams on the road flying down and flying back home.
 
Flyhound said:
We made reservations 3 years ago at a B&B in the Oregon desert right on the eclipse centerline. They have a dirt runway and we'll have our plane close to our cabin. I'm glad we made arrangements before it got crazy and prices started getting jacked up. We're looking forward to taking pictures of the traffic jams on the road flying down and flying back home.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan. We'll watch the traffic jams from the air returning from watching the eclipse from the air. This, of course, assumes that the weather at OLM that morning is conducive to a VFR flight as I'm not instrument current.
 
rwellner98 said:
I plan on taking it in from KMDH near Carbondale, IL. The location with the longest duration of totality will have 2:40. We will have 2:38, so I'm liking it!



For me, it's because I want to do photography and hang out with the other watchers. That's always been a blast when I've done it in the past (during partial eclipses). But if it's a partly cloudy sky with a risk of a cloud obscuring the eclipse, you can bet that I'll be in the air.
Click to expand...

we will be there too as carbondale sounds like it will be a zoo.
 
I was planning to but just learned that my hand is broken. I injured it about 3 weeks ago and it was only the second set of x-rays that showed a fracture. Anyway I can't do any more flying for 2-3 weeks. Completely bummed. :(
 
A lot of vehicle traffic is expected in and around N/E KS this weekend.

I wonder if this is a coincidence:
http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdo...srelease2017/You_drink_you_drive_you_lose.pdf

"No Refusal Weekend":

>>>
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Kansas Department of Transportation
and law enforcement agencies from across the state are joining forces to crack down on impaired driving during the upcoming No Refusal Weekend, when all suspected impaired drivers who refuse breath testing will be subject to blood testing for alcohol.
<<<
 
Of course everyone knows that those people in the 100% eclipse area will vanish in a puff of smoke and will never be seen again.

I know it's true because I saw a movie about that once.....
 
Zeldman said:
Of course everyone knows that those people in the 100% eclipse area will vanish in a puff of smoke and will never be seen again.
Click to expand...

What if it's your birthday on the eclipse? And it's also your mothers? And you are both standing together, side by side, during the eclipse in the area of total coverage?

Asking for a friend.
 
So I had hoped to fly from NYC to SC for the eclipse. I have a meeting on Sunday from 3:00pm - 4:00pm, so I'd leave at 5:00pm, fly for 2.5 hours, land, fuel, stay in a hotel (or the back seat) and then in the morning fly to Charlotte (another 2.5 hours) to pick up my friends who want to come along. Then fly the rest of the way (another 90 minutes). Weather looks great. Called to schedule the plane ... it's already booked Sunday to Tuesday. Bleh.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
What if it's your birthday on the eclipse? And it's also your mothers? And you are both standing together, side by side, during the eclipse in the area of total coverage?

Asking for a friend.
Click to expand...

They should hold hands, click their heels together and repeat, "I want to go home" over and over.... Be sure to wear red high heel shoes though. And everything will turn out just fine.
 
Justin M said:
So I had hoped to fly from NYC to SC for the eclipse. I have a meeting on Sunday from 3:00pm - 4:00pm, so I'd leave at 5:00pm, fly for 2.5 hours, land, fuel, stay in a hotel (or the back seat) and then in the morning fly to Charlotte (another 2.5 hours) to pick up my friends who want to come along. Then fly the rest of the way (another 90 minutes). Weather looks great. Called to schedule the plane ... it's already booked Sunday to Tuesday. Bleh.
Click to expand...

These are the troubles of renting and not planning ahead. If it makes you feel any better most of the airports I called on monday within the total obscuration zone were already full or nearly so. Chances are your plan of picking up friends and flying in the morning of may have left you viewing from the air anyways.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
What if it's your birthday on the eclipse? And it's also your mothers? And you are both standing together, side by side, during the eclipse in the area of total coverage?

Asking for a friend.
Click to expand...

Your and your mother's minds, memories, etc. will swap bodies. Probably a better deal for your mom than you.
 
SC00, Triple Tree Aerodrome about 20 miles south of Spartenburg, SC. I like what I see about the organization. They have parking for 1000 aircraft and run an Oshkosh style arrival, but only open for special events.

One day I think it would be cool to be up at like 20,000' and be able to actually see the Umbra move. But that day is not Monday.
 
Now that I know that 2024 is going to be another total eclipse across the US, I'm not rushing to go anywhere near this one. For some reason they are over hyping this one.
 
TommyG said:
Now that I know that 2024 is going to be another total eclipse across the US, I'm not rushing to go anywhere near this one. For some reason they are over hyping this one.
Click to expand...

You don't think the next one will be over hyped when it's the last one for much much longer?
 
TommyG said:
Now that I know that 2024 is going to be another total eclipse across the US, I'm not rushing to go anywhere near this one. For some reason they are over hyping this one.
Click to expand...
Well in 2024 you'll be able to fly to Nova Scotia for the total eclipse of the sun. That is something...
 
In this video, the guy says we're getting 5 eclipses (eclipsii?) in the next 35 years, three of which will be total eclispesesses. (Fast forward to 9:10).

 
The question I'm trying to get answered is just how discernible is the magnitude difference between the areas of "totality" vs simply being close by??? I'm somewhat lucky in northeast Arkansas in that I'll be at 96%. I mean I understand what 96% is but practically speaking is 96% gonna look about the same as 100%???

I could probably get airborne and quickly get over to the totality region but think it should probably mostly a waste of time considering I'm already pretty close.
 
Unfortunately I'm not home to be able to take my bird to a full ecplise zone, fortunately where i am is 98% coverage so I'm pretty happy about that!

Hoping for some good weather and clear skies to view this thing!
 
If you aren't in the path of the totality you'll not really notice the eclipse. Using a welders hood, viewing glasses or a viewing box you can see the partial blockage. That's about it.

It's been nearly 50 years since I was anywhere near an eclipse path but that's what I remember.
 
arkvet said:
The question I'm trying to get answered is just how discernible is the magnitude difference between the areas of "totality" vs simply being close by??? I'm somewhat lucky in northeast Arkansas in that I'll be at 96%. I mean I understand what 96% is but practically speaking is 96% gonna look about the same as 100%???

I could probably get airborne and quickly get over to the totality region but think it should probably mostly a waste of time considering I'm already pretty close.
Click to expand...
No comparison. I was in the maximum eclipse zone of an annular eclipse in 1994. That's a "ring of fire" eclipse where the Moon is just a tiny bit too far away to completely cover the Sun, but coverage was something like 99%. It was twilightish at maximum eclipse, but you couldn't look directly at the Sun and you couldn't see the corona.

96% will be noticeable but it's not going to look ANYTHING like totality. Get in the bird and see the full eclipse. You'll be happy you did.
 
TommyG said:
Now that I know that 2024 is going to be another total eclipse across the US, I'm not rushing to go anywhere near this one. For some reason they are over hyping this one.
Click to expand...
And totality next time will be about a minute longer.

But there are downsides. For example, the next one will be in April, so depending on where you are there is a much better chance of cloudy skies. This time it looks like a pretty large portion of the totality path has a very good chance of actually seeing the eclipse.

And who knows if they are going to be alive in 7 years? Think about it, that's a long time and anything could happen.

If I could fly to see this one I would. I was planning on it until I found out my hand is broken, so I'll have to make do with ~62%. I'm quite bummed about it, seriously. Thinking about actually traveling to see the next total eclipse in July 2019, but that one is going to be visible only in South America where it will be winter, so much the same problem as with the 2024 eclipse.
 
azure said:
No comparison. I was in the maximum eclipse zone of an annular eclipse in 1994. That's a "ring of fire" eclipse where the Moon is just a tiny bit too far away to completely cover the Sun, but coverage was something like 99%. It was twilightish at maximum eclipse, but you couldn't look directly at the Sun and you couldn't see the corona.

96% will be noticeable but it's not going to look ANYTHING like totality. Get in the bird and see the full eclipse. You'll be happy you did.
Click to expand...

Excellent advice. Thanks. So a follow up question. Will nearly every small town airport be packed even on the edge of the totality band? From where I'm at I would look at places like CGI (cape girardeau) or M30 (metropolis). I would basically like to fly in around noon with the kids and maybe eat some lunch on on tarmac (at the plane) while it occurs. After totality depart and head home???

I'm sure there will be more traffic at these airports but will it be a mini Oshkosh everywhere?
 
arkvet said:
Excellent advice. Thanks. So a follow up question. Will nearly every small town airport be packed even on the edge of the totality band? From where I'm at I would look at places like CGI (cape girardeau) or M30 (metropolis). I would basically like to fly in around noon with the kids and maybe eat some lunch on on tarmac (at the plane) while it occurs. After totality depart and head home???

I'm sure there will be more traffic at these airports but will it be a mini Oshkosh everywhere?
Click to expand...
I would expect it to be a mini-Oshkosh most places but without the benefit of a tower. KMDH sounds like the field that will have the best facilities in place to handle the crowd, but I expect that the influx will be even larger than they're planning for and I wouldn't be at all surprised to find a last-minute NOTAM closing the field. I registered on their site a week and a half ago and never got a reply, so I'll bet they are already at capacity with the folks they know are coming.

That's a big part of my decision to bow out. I flew last Sunday before I knew my hand was broken and can certainly manage the controls with no real impairment, but that was over rural New England. I'm not sure I would be quick or accurate enough to avoid a near-midair in high-traffic OSH-like airspace. And then there is the near-certainty of FAA inspectors being out in force at airports in the totality area. They can't ramp even a fraction of the pilots there, but I'd be an inspector magnet with my hand brace. I've no desire to be grounded 800 miles from home, or worse.
 
Hmmm. Again, thanks. Might not be a bad idea to time it for a viewing from the plane. I would prefer to land and see it from the ground in the abscence of engine noise and headsets. Sounds like that might be challenging. Maybe some of the more rural airports lacking facilities will get less traffic.
 
arkvet said:
Hmmm. Again, thanks. Might not be a bad idea to time it for a viewing from the plane. I would prefer to land and see it from the ground in the abscence of engine noise and headsets. Sounds like that might be challenging. Maybe some of the more rural airports lacking facilities will get less traffic.
Click to expand...
FWIW, a pilot on the Red Board posted a communcation from the airport manager at KFES saying they would be open but weren't planning any public event, and expected to have enough parking. You would get 2:39 of totality there, pretty close to the maximum for this eclipse.

HTH.
 
Does Flight Service have a list of airports that are NOTAMED closed? This is an interesting flight to flight plan for. I am used to having all the public airports on my route available to me for deviation and able to get fuel at most. Planes are going to be flying in and unable to land because NOTAMED closed. Then getting low on fuel and having to land at a NOTAMED closed airport. I swear its gonna happen to someone. I don't want it to happen to me, but I need all the info I can get ahead of time. Im planning to just fly there (1 1/2 hour flight), fly around for 1/2 hour during the eclipse, then fly back. I have 5 hours of fuel, not counting reserves. I can just feel it. This one is gonna be a possible problem.....

If I could I'd like to land at an airport in the full eclipse and wait and view from the ground. But I dont see how I can. No reservation and not much chance of getting one.
Its gonna be a traffic jam on the roads too.

Don't run out of fuel!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top