Total Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024

Anyone else doing some long range planning for this? I’m curious who knows the Arkansas backcountry strips? Looks like most will be in the zone of totality. What’s the best strip for camping? (Scenery, fire pits, toilets, etc).

I had originally planned on going to Texas until I realized the Arkansas strips were an option and about the same flight time.

So if anyone has any intel on the Arkansas strips, or any Texas recommendations, let’s hear them!

We did Warm Springs in Idaho for the 2017 eclipse and it was amazing. Definitely plan on making this one too.

Text Rob Farland

Steve Johnson that runs the supercub.org website lives in northwest (?) Arkansas.
He would be a good person to ask.

There are some Youtube's and here are a couple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1YJOEUcO8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv1uYxofhhg

I'd probably check out Byrd's or Richland Creek. Byrd's has a couple of cabins and a general store. Richland Creek is less developed but has a fire pit and some other amenities. You can find info on both at airfield.guide.

If you want a full-service resort, then Gaston's looks like it'll be in the zone of darkness.

And thanks for bringing this to the forefront! I'll definitely add it to the calendar.

We are headed to that part of the country this year for some fun. Check with FLYOZ for some good intel. Might have to go back next year. Thanks for the heads up!!

I think the best strip in the state to watch the eclipse would be John Harris Field. It sits up on a bluff that overlooks the country side for miles and miles. You’d be able to see the shadow of the moon moving over the earth. It’s really close to the centerline of the path of totality. Totality will last 4 minutes an 9 seconds here. There’s not really any amenities for camping here and I’d contact the owner first if you’re planning on camping.



Petit Jean will be even closer to the centerline with 4 minutes and 15 seconds of totality. There’s actually a real nice campground at the south end near the lake. The sites have water and electricity. There’s also a bathhouse with restrooms and I think showers as well.

Richland Creek is a great place to camp at. The RAF recently build a shelter at the main camping area that has a picnic table, BBQ, and firepit that’s always stocked with firewood. There’s also a pit toilet that has solar powered lights and one 110v outlet you could use to recharge your things. Totality will be 3 minutes and 22 seconds here.

Byrd’s is a great place to camp as well, and has a nice restaurant overlooking the Mulberry River. But if you’re flying all this way to see the eclipse I’d go to one of the other options (Byrd’s would make a good base camp though). Totality here lasts only a minute and 39 seconds.

How's the weather in Arkansas in early April ? My main priority would be to find somewhere really dry. Overcast skies would ruin the experience. I know weather is unpredictable but what is the usual pattern in the Spring for that area ? I got to experience the 2017 eclipse at my friend's strip just outside of Salem. If you haven't experienced the totality before it is something to behold. Time stands still for those few moments of surreality. Also it is really totality or nothing - you have to be in the pathway for it. Partial blockage is a big nothing burger. It is amazing how even 1-2% of the sun peaking through just dims the sky a little. As soon as the moon is covered it turns to pure magic. This has me interested now and might be worth making the trip to Arkansas. Never been before. That spot on the bluff looks perfect.


Josh

The weather is hit or miss that time of year. I found this online:

The month of April in Little Rock experiences essentially constant cloud cover, with the percentage of time that the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy remaining about 41% throughout the month. The lowest chance of overcast or mostly cloudy conditions is 40% on April 15.

The clearest day of the month is April 15, with clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy conditions 60% of the time.

For reference, on March 1, the cloudiest day of the year, the chance of overcast or mostly cloudy conditions is 49%, while on October 5, the clearest day of the year, the chance of clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy skies is 71%.

One good thing about having an airplane is you can quickly pick up and move to a different location chasing more favorable sky conditions. You could even try getting up above an overcast layer and watching the eclipse from the air as a last resort.

If you make the trip to Arkansas, Josh, stop in at 2H2 Aurora Missouri in lapland where Arkansas laps over into Missouri. I will buy you a meal at the Hanger Kafe MO9. Jim 417-830-0638.

contactflying wrote:If you make the trip to Arkansas, Josh, stop in at 2H2 Aurora Missouri in lapland where Arkansas laps over into Missouri. I will buy you a meal at the Hanger Kafe MO9. Jim 417-830-0638.

Well if it isn't for the eclipse it will be sometime in the future Jim. I have a great friend who just moved to South Carolina and want to make the trek out there via the 180. The eclipse is an enticing reason to travel to see him and catch another memorable solar eclipse. I guess my next question for the Arkansas locals regarding the overcast in April is how low, how thick, and what it the freezing level ? I do a lot of IFR flying up here in Oregon and am comfortable in the clouds. There was an amazing video of the eclipse in 2017 taken from a 310 at FL 140. So I guess maybe it wouldn't matter if there is an overcast. Assuming it's not down to the ground and layered up past the freezing level.


Josh

April is usually well into spring and fairly warm, but some of the worst clear ice can be a problem IMC. We only did Huey altitudes (2 to 4 thousand usually) and we had no oxygen, but getting IMC for training (required by Army regs if mission does not preclude) was no problem. My 3500 pipeline loop in the Midwest encountered some weather most every week in the spring. Spraying, the issue was fog. We can have rain overnight and then rapid warm up of tree leaves in the morning causing steam fog. In a Pawnee that means go to ground and land now. The reason Missouri is referred to as misery is high humidity. Cold is colder and warm is warmer and temp/dew point is always an issue. Watch for stationary fronts and occluded fronts which can generate several days of IMC. You could get in IFR but then get stuck VFR at places you don't want to IFR out of in the hills. I'm thinking Gadsden. 180 would engine power right over the bluff, but it bothers me not to turn down the river west of the wire.

It depends on what your priority is. NASA is showing a lower chance of clear skies in Arkansas compared to Texas. As a result, I'll be flying to Kerrville, TX where the the chances are best for clear skies in the US. Mexico is also in the path of totality and has even better chances of clear skies in April. Here's the NASA weather probability chart:

Reminds me of "You're so vain," by Carly Simon. You might notice in old lean on the prop spinner photos that we also always cross our legs. I tell my wife, "We're pilots. We are what we are."