Total Solar Eclipse:
An Experience Worth Traveling for by Air

In fact, we learned during the last total solar eclipse visible from the United States that happened in August 2017, more than 400 pilots gathered at the airport in Madras, Oregon to view the celestial event. The Perryville Regional Airport - KPCD in Perryville, Missouri welcomed 147 aircraft. Many brought telescopes and camped overnight. That much extra activity calls for planning, especially in terms of staff, fuel, restrooms, food, and other needs for pilots and crew. It also presents great opportunities for discovery, education, and business with proper planning.

Close to 400 aircraft landed at the Madras Municipal Airport in Oregon to watch the Total Solar Eclipse in August 2017.  Photo credit: David Tulis 

Eclipse Planning Considerations for
Public Use Airports

Eclipse Awareness

•  Do you feel the owners, operators, tenants, and staff/volunteers are informed about the eclipse and scale of impact it could have?
   

Eclipse Public Education

• Airports are ideal locations to engage learning and enchance experiences for people the day of the eclipse, plus the night before. High-altitude balloon lifts, science experiments, solar viewing, nighttime sky viewing, etc. are ways to promote science education. 

Logistics

• What concerns come to mind from the air travel perspective? Maybe it is flight or ground support related, overcrowding at the airport, ground transportation for airport employees/volunteers?
   
• Do you know how many aircraft your airport can accommodate?  How many can park/tie down? Does that number depend on saturated/snowy grassy areas?
   
• For uncontrolled airports, do you have enough qualified volunteers to help direct plane traffic?
   
• Are the grounds of the property contained with a fence or other barrier to control access?
   
• If your airport offers fuel, be sure to arrange for ample inventory a few days beforehand. This is especially important if fuel is delivered by trucks on busy highways the days leading up to April 8.
   
• If your airport offer maintenance/repair services, is your parts room stocked adequately?
   

Special Services Related to the Eclipse:

• Do you have a way to anticipate air traffic that day? Would an advanced registration system be useful? 
   
• Are you aware of any groups/clubs planning a special event that day?
   
• What other measures could you take to forge relationships with pilots and encourage repeat business?  Extra restrooms, extra cell phone chargers?
   
• Have you considered having food available in the form of vendors or catering?
   
• If weather permits, are you prepared for pilots and visitors to camp overnight?
   
• Are you expecting a lot of vehicle traffic to your airport grounds on eclipse day?
   
• Have you considered eclipse swag such as clever t-shirts or other souvenirs to make the trip memorable?
   
• Do you have digital or traditional communication mechanisms with general aviators to leverage between now and April to educate, motivate and inform people? Examples include online discussion forums (Facebook Groups, etc.), flying clubs that meet regularly, newsletters, attendee lists from previous events such as fly-in breakfasts, airshows, or other special events? 

More Information:

Lori Maher
Genesee Transportation Council
(585) 232-6240 x217 (Voicemail)
Lmaher@gtcmpo.org 

Ray Detor
Le Roy Airport
(585) 259-9308
rsdjr1400@aol.com