solar eclipse Solar eclipse fly in at Triple Tree Aerodrome, S. Carolina August 21-22/2017

[Dave]

The path of Totality of the solar eclipse on 8/21/17 passes over Triple Tree Aerodrome in South Carolina. I'm planning to make the flight down to Triple Tree Aerodrome to participate in their fly in for the event. I"m not likely to get another chance to experience this in my lifetime. Total Solar Eclipse, 7,000 foot turf runway, meal events, lots of aircraft and pilots....What's not to like? Will schedule arrival to Triple Tree or nearby Spartansburg, SC depending on weather. The best part is that if clear skies are not locally predicted on the day of eclipse, we can fly westerly to get a better view.  See this link:  http://www.tripletreeaerodrome.com/eclipse-fly-in.php for  Triple Tree details.   Regards to all. Dave Glosser

[sheridan9sc]

Dave,

Certainly sounds intriguing! The Triple-Tree facility is phenomenal and the food will be good.  As a Columbia, SC, resident, I need to warn everyone that camping in late August is not for the faint of heart!  Overnight temperatures could get down to 75 to 80 with > 85% humidity by 6 am.  I have flown in a couple of times in the Phoenix with short wings. The taxiways to the camping areas don't have a lot of clearance and the roads may be a little rough for small wheels with fairings (as I turned off the taxiway, one wheel dropped into a hole and I thought I had a flat tire from a Dresser tube! They also have a detailed approach procedure that everyone should follow.

That being said, I still might consider coming up - there also is some good soaring in the mountains nearby.  As an alternative, though, I would offer a fly-in for TMGs at KCUB, my home airport in Columbia.  We are also on the path of the eclipse and would have air conditioned accommodations, restaurants, and pilots lounge close by.  

David Sheridan, #14

[Dave]

Dave, that sounds pretty good to me. I had been planning to fly into Spartansburg KSPA a day or two in advance and lodge there for the climate factors you mentioned and just spend the day at Triple Tree. What do you recommend for accommodations, etc. in Columbia?

Dave Glosser

[mikeschumann]

This will be my fourth total eclipse.  I'm not sure yet, where I am going to see it (waiting until a couple of days beforehand to see what the weather is going to be like).  However, I want to STRONGLY encourage everyone to take the day off and go see it.  This will be the astronomical event of the CENTURY in N America.  Note:  For those of you who have never seen a total eclipse, you have to be within the zone of totality or you will miss the entire event.

The big question I have is whether to see the eclipse on the ground or from 10,000 ft altitude.  See https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/news/eclipse-flight/

[Dave]

Great video!

[Dave]

I've made reservations at Hampton Inn in Greensville, SC and plan to fly in to KGYH. Will probably fly in to Triple Tree the morning of the event, but decided not to try to camp there. Weather will determine if and  from where I'll see the eclipse, but I definitely want to give it a try. 

 

[sheridan9sc]

Dave,

I realized after I made the offer that I can't promise anything for housing here.  Hotels are filling up because Columbia has been listed on many of the eclipse sites as a good spot for viewing.  As Mike said, it all depends on the weather conditions that day.

David

[Dave]

Well the weather forecasts are looking great for the solar eclipse in the vicinity of Greenville, SC, from where I plan to observe the great event. On Saturday I'm flying from home base in Princeton, NJ to KSHD near Harrisonburg, VA;  after a brief stopover in JST. Sunday morning I'm off to KGYH in Greenville. Anyone else have eclipse viewing plans?  Get your solar eye protection ready and experience a great bucket list experience.  Remaining problem now is getting a squawk code to get out of the Bedminster TFR outer ring; presuming Trump is still president on Saturday morning.