Solar Eclipse Won't Affect Flights, Pilot Assures; Eye Protection Crucial

Contrary to popular belief, a total solar eclipse will not disrupt commercial flights, according to airline pilot Savina Paül. While the August 12 eclipse promises to darken skies across parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including Spain, Greenland, and Iceland, Paül explained that flight operations at 35,000 feet remain unaffected.

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A commercial airplane does not need external visual references to fly.

"A commercial airplane does not need external visual references to fly," Paül stated on social media. Aircraft navigation depends on precise instruments, rendering them unaffected by the sudden dimming of daylight. Pilots are extensively trained to operate in conditions with limited or no direct visibility, similar to adverse weather scenarios. Paül emphasized that, from a technical standpoint, "an eclipse does not alter an airplane's ability to navigate normally" as it is an astronomical event, not a meteorological disturbance.

Air traffic control will maintain vigilance for indirect effects, such as potential flight concentrations at specific airports or the deployment of private aircraft attempting to view the phenomenon. While commercial planes lack the speed to continuously "chase" the moon's shadow, the duration of the eclipse experienced by passengers can vary based on the aircraft's direction and speed.

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an eclipse does not alter an airplane's ability to navigate normally.

Paül also issued a crucial safety warning: protective eyewear is essential for both pilots and passengers. Although cockpit windows filter a significant portion of ultraviolet radiation, she cautioned that "the windshields and windows can filter part of the radiation, but they are not certified filters for looking directly at the sun."

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the windshields and windows can filter part of the radiation, but they are not certified filters for looking directly at the sun.