Weather likely to keep small planes grounded during Iceland eclipse

Few small aircraft are expected to take to the skies during Wednesday’s total solar eclipse because of the forecast weather, mbl.is reports. Some skydiving from Rif and sightseeing flights from Reykjavík, Ísafjörður and Akureyri are nevertheless planned.

No special air traffic control measures are considered necessary, according to Matthías Sveinbjörnsson, president of the Icelandic Aviation Association.

“The area is so large and there is so much airspace that no special measures are needed because of it,” Sveinbjörnsson told mbl.is.

He said rain and low cloud would likely lead pilots to remain on the ground during the eclipse. The clouds are also expected to be too high for pilots to fly above them.

The darkness caused by the total eclipse is not expected to affect pilots or flying conditions. Most pilots can fly at night, Sveinbjörnsson said, and the total eclipse will last only about two minutes. Pilots should still be able to see the horizon even when they are in the darkness.

He also rejected the idea that the eclipse would be visible for longer from an aircraft. A person flying at high altitude might see the eclipse’s shadow approaching across the ground, he said, but would not remain in totality for longer.

“You would have to fly extremely fast to be able to chase it,” Sveinbjörnsson said.