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

Speed of the shadow if you wish to be airborne and keep up. :p
  • 2955mph in Western Oregon
  • 1747mph in central Nebraska
  • 1462mph in Western Kentucky
  • 1502mph near Charleston SC
 
Mutts said:
Speed of the shadow if you wish to be airborne and keep up. :p
  • 2955mph in Western Oregon
  • 1747mph in central Nebraska
  • 1462mph in Western Kentucky
  • 1502mph near Charleston SC
Click to expand...

I've seen an F-15 doing over 1150 mph off shore of Charleston before. There's a chance. A challenge for Evil if he's working that day.
 
Mutts said:
Speed of the shadow if you wish to be airborne and keep up. :p
  • 2955mph in Western Oregon
  • 1747mph in central Nebraska
  • 1462mph in Western Kentucky
  • 1502mph near Charleston SC
Click to expand...
The shadow's width is nearly 70 miles, so that should help "a little". You get about 2 and a half minutes of totality, just standing still.
 
GlennAB1 said:
The shadow's width is nearly 70 miles, so that should help "a little".
Click to expand...
Not sure what you mean by "help". The shadow's width is what gives you that 2:30 at any fixed location.
You get about 2 and a half minutes of totality, just standing still.
Click to expand...
Depends where you are. You will gain the most over the eastern US between Kentucky and SC because the shadow moves the slowest there. If you're flying a jet, you might actually gain close to a minute of totality. In a bugsmasher going 150 mph, you'll only gain about 11%, which would give you an extra 16 seconds if totality is actually 2:30 there (I forget the actual length and am too lazy to look it up at the moment).

Obviously if you're in the air you want to parallel the shadow's motion. But you aren't going to get a huge advantage over someone on the ground... unless of course it's cloudy and the highest tops are low enough for you to get above them. But that's a whole other scenario.
 
I'm about an hour away from totality by motorcycle. My game plan that day is to take the day off and find a nice country road somewhere, pull over, and wait for it!
 
The wife, dogs, and I are going to make a day trip out of it, about 4 hour drive to the center of totality. I've got a town picked out that is very close to center. Already have the day off. Filter for the telescope and "sunglasses" have shipped. Hope it's a clear day.
 
Last edited:
NoHeat said:
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.
Click to expand...
Check NOTAMs. Alliance KAIA is by reservation only. There are already 240 airplane RSVPd and the field will close around 10:15 am or so. Guernsey is also RSVP and I think completely filled.
 
I was going to fly to Madras (S33) on the 21st. Called the FBO today, they have been taking reservations and are booked full. I am guessing that most, if not all, airports in the path are the same. :(
 
I am just going to stay home and worry about the alligator problem in New Mexico....
 
Still planning to drive up Casper mountain. Last time I did that was Sept 9 2001. I presented a paper on the 10th and then drove home (Bailey). I'm not presenting on this trip but if you are superstitious....
 
murphey said:
Check NOTAMs. Alliance KAIA is by reservation only. There are already 240 airplane RSVPd and the field will close around 10:15 am or so. Guernsey is also RSVP and I think completely filled.
Click to expand...

After reading that CPA hit 50 aircraft and over 100 people and that 240 number for Alliance, I was already glad my co-owner wanted to go up that direction worse than I did.

But now it's starting to sound like that is going to be one heck of a ****-show up there. Ain't worth it to me. 240 airplanes arriving at Alliance in a couple hour window. That's insane.
 
So would it be better to see from the ground, or the air?

I mean, I know it'll be hard to look at from the air, but I'd be able to see the darkness on the ground - And wouldn't have to get too high to be able to see areas with some light, even from the center of the totality.

Plus, I wouldn't have to worry about this craziness with the airports all being booked up!
 
denverpilot said:
After reading that CPA hit 50 aircraft and over 100 people and that 240 number for Alliance, I was already glad my co-owner wanted to go up that direction worse than I did.

But now it's starting to sound like that is going to be one heck of a ****-show up there. Ain't worth it to me. 240 airplanes arriving at Alliance in a couple hour window. That's insane.
Click to expand...
Plan B is Guernsey with a tower. Called last week to get a reservation. Now the decision is go early in the AM or take them up on the offer to fly in Sunday afternoon and camp.
 
I'll be orbiting somewhere over the Telico Plains TN area.
 
coach said:
I was going to fly to Madras (S33) on the 21st. Called the FBO today, they have been taking reservations and are booked full. I am guessing that most, if not all, airports in the path are the same. :(
Click to expand...

And, the FBO at S33 wanted $200, just for landing, parking to watch the eclipse and departing. I looked online and said phooey with that. We'll fly down (probably central Oregon as I don't trust the weather in the Willamette valley), watch the eclipse from the air and fly home. Might need to stop for gas somewhere on the way home. Definitely staying away from airports and VORs in the area to minimize the chance of being in the same place, at the same time, as another airplane.
 
You should fly your airplane in front of the sun and make your own eclipse.
 
choppergirl said:
You should fly your airplane in front of the sun and make your own eclipse.
Click to expand...
Looking down at your shadow is okay....see another aircraft shadow near yours usually isn't so okay...
 
Many airports and nearby areas are offering camping. We're flying in on Sunday morning to minimize the quantity of traffic.


I hope.
 
Flying (commercial) to Charleston SC Thursday for a long weekend and hopefully a view of the eclipse, then driving/riding home with friends.

But if anyone is flying general aviation from the area headed north (passing SE VA airports) either Monday or Tuesday, gladly pay our fair and legal share of expenses :)
 
ejensen said:
A group of Colorado Pilots Association is going to Alliance, NE for the eclipse, lunch and return.
Click to expand...
After hearing how many planes are going, we canceled Alliance. No way I'd get in that circus. Probably drive to somewhere in WY.
 
denverpilot said:
After reading that CPA hit 50 aircraft and over 100 people and that 240 number for Alliance, I was already glad my co-owner wanted to go up that direction worse than I did.

But now it's starting to sound like that is going to be one heck of a ****-show up there. Ain't worth it to me. 240 airplanes arriving at Alliance in a couple hour window. That's insane.
Click to expand...
I just look at their webpage. I expected a temporary tower but no indication that will happen.
 
The fly in chaos will take place clear across the country. Which is part of why I'm flying to the general area but then driving into totality...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
denverpilot said:
I think I have a word for what's going to happen up there and it starts with "cluster..."
Click to expand...
I believe it. I'm also going to brave it. I flew into OSH once at peak hour. Hopefully that trained me for what this will be like.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
I believe it. I'm also going to brave it. I flew into OSH once at peak hour. Hopefully that trained me for what this will be like.
Click to expand...

The problem is Osh is insanely well orchestrated. If you've ever been to even a small fly in that wasn't, you know the eclipse has the potential to cause a mid air or two...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
eclipse_flights.png
 
gsengle said:
The problem is Osh is insanely well orchestrated. If you've ever been to even a small fly in that wasn't, you know the eclipse has the potential to cause a mid air or two...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I'm going to be on the ground in southern Illinois, hoping a midair doesn't rain down on me.
 
gsengle said:
The problem is Osh is insanely well orchestrated. If you've ever been to even a small fly in that wasn't, you know the eclipse has the potential to cause a mid air or two...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yep... I've heard some new estimates. Either I'm looking for a new airport or I'm going REALLY early.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top