After attending the eclipse in August of 2017 I knew that I would want to be front and center for the total eclipse that would occur in 2024.
We had a couple of logistical challenges.
Initially I thought that we would travel to somewhere like Texas from Virginia to get the best possible chance of not having cloud cover during the eclipse. I didn’t realize how lucky we were in 2017 that there were no clouds at all during the viewing of that eclipse in North Carolina. How could we insure this time would be the same? That will take lots of planning and options.
Texas is a very long way from home. It was going to be a multiple day drive or a very long flight to get there. Then there is the hotel availability, throngs of people trying to do the same thing. We could camp. Whatever we were going to do we would have to plan and commit to something. It got complicated. We both work where taking another week off would probably be difficult or impossible.
After trying to sort out the best place to be I decided that I should not travel over the road at all and, instead, fly to a location. The problem of cloud cover at any eclipse location was still very much an issue because for certain over the path of totality there will be clouds somewhere. Especially in the northeast part of the US.
So my plan took the shape and consisted of a “game day” decision of six different locations spread apart about 500 nautical miles in the westerly direction from Virginia in the path of totality.
On the morning of April 8, 2024 I checked the weather and made the decision that we will go to Tiffin, Ohio. Tiffin was right in the path of totality. The airport located there is a small field no where near any major city and certainly not a destination people would flock to.
Interesting bit of planning trivia; Tiffin was the only location that would be clear of the six I chose. That was the weather on this day. I’m glad I planned so many different routes.
There was a challenge, though, in that it was the best place to go given the weather in all my my choice locations but there was still cloud cover. And, to make matters worse, there were a line of showers between home and Tiffin. We would be in the clouds and rain for some portion of the trip for sure.
I am an instrument rated pilot with access to an aircraft so I filed and IFR flight plan to Tiffin from Hagerstown, MD. It will be about a 2 hour flight. As predicted, we encountered clouds and showers along the route of flight but it was one of those laminar days where the ride was so smooth you think you are suspended in air. Yes, we got rained on and were in and out of the clouds but at some point … “POOOOF!” … we flew right out of the back side of the front into clear blue skies. A few minutes later we landed at Tiffin. It turns out we were the first people at the airport that day. They were expecting a crowd.
I fueled the aircraft for the flight home and paid for the fuel before parking in a spot we could view the eclipse. And we settle in for a couple of hours while we wait for the stars to align, so to speak.
After we landed and got settled in we decided to order a pizza which was promptly delivered to the airport. The sun was out yet the air was cool. It was turning out to be a perfect day to view an eclipse. I mean, really. It all worked out so well.
Then one after another small planes started to land at Tiffin as well. I’m guessing there were probably around 50 small airplanes that decided to make Tiffin their viewing location. The staff at the airport were very accommodating. Of course, it is going to be a big revenue day for them with fuel and other sales that will happen on this day.
This is my second eclipse so I knew what to expect. Soon we could look up at the sky and observe the moon start to cover the sun. The bright day starts to fade as the moon moves into its place in front of the sun.
It is still very bright out. But we all know it is coming. Soon day would fade to near darkness and the entire environment around us changes. The winds calm. The clouds that were there seem to disappear. The birds change their tunes.
Then it happens. And everyone as far as you can hear starts to clap and cheer.
At the point of totality it is very hard to describe how you feel. Something special is happening and it is just an amazing human experience to be a part of it. Everyone around you feels the same; “small” but satisfied and amazed.
And 5 minutes later it is over. And 5 minutes after that people start to leave.
Leaving an airfield is very different than leaving in a car. Pilots fired up their engines, lined up at the end of the runway and shot back into the sky. Those were mostly VFR pilots. I filed another IFR flight plan home.
Once I obtained my IFR clearance we were one of the last planes to leave for home. I departed the field, got radar contact and positive control with the controllers and soon they turned us towards home. It was about another 2 hours to travel back to our home airport. We put away the plane and drove back home.
What an amazing experience these things are. The next one will be August 12, 2045. If I am still alive I will be over 80 years of age. And, yes, I will do my best to get in the path of totality one last time.