Earlier this year, on April 8th 2024 - I had an opportunity to fly from New Jersey to Buffalo, New York in a private Pilatus PC-12 to experience the path of totality.
Having never done this before, I did a bit of research and picked out my gear. For this trip, I would be taking photos with my trusty Sony a1; the Sony 100-400 GM lens and a solar filter.
I also wanted to capture the experience of the flight. For that, I had a Leica Q2, a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and a GoPro Hero 12. Along with a lot of batteries. A lot.
Given the excitement of the flight, I got to Teterboro Airport nearly an hour before departure and after checking in - grabbed a few snacks and drinks before the flight.
A good friend of mine was piloting another aircraft from the same company and kept texting me updates as the flight path changed due to ATC restrictions and environmental factors.
After a quick briefing, we took off around 1:25pm. Our destination had changed from the Buffalo region to a waypoint called PATTA.
As we climbed higher into the sky, the excitement onboard was palpable. Everyone was eagerly anticipating a memorable flight.
The pilot announced that we were approaching PATTA and would soon be entering the path of totality.
As we crossed into the path of totality, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The sky started to darken, almost as if night was falling upon us.
I quickly grabbed my Sony a1 and started capturing the stunning view outside. The sun had turned into a black circle with a fiery halo around it.
The whole experience felt surreal - like being in a completely different world.
The view from above was unlike anything I had ever seen before - a mesmerizing combination of light and darkness.
After about 3 minutes of being in the path of totality, we exited back into daylight. But the excitement onboard continued as everyone shared their photos and experiences from this once-in-a-lifetime event.
As we made our way back to New Jersey, I couldn't stop smiling at how lucky I was to have witnessed such an incredible natural phenomenon from high up in the sky. It was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for years to come.
Once we landed back at Teterboro Airport, there were cheers and applause from all passengers for our successful flight. As we disembarked, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this amazing opportunity and the memories I had created.
