The soon upcoming total solar eclipse of 14 December 2020 (TSE2020) was supposed to be a relatively “easy” one in terms of travel logistics and accessibility.  A year ago many of us had comfortably made our arrangements and began counting down the days to TSE 2020 and our next view of the Sun’s glorious corona. But then, the (sardonically named) coronavirus pandemic swept the Earth ahead of the Moon’s shadow with its devastating effects on global health and national economies.  Its continuing deleterious impacts cannot be understated.  

In consequential response, in attempting with mixed successes and failures to bring the coronavirus under control as part of internationally heterogeneous protocols, many international borders were – and still remain - closed to foreign nationals. That also concomitant with prolonged entry quarantines and internal travel restrictions. With now less than three months before TSE 2020 this situation remains unchanged for Chile and Argentina, the only countries on Earth from where TSE 2020 is visible from land (see Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Top: The full TSE 2020 path of totality from sunrise (west end) to sunset (east end). 
Bottom: The path of totality crossing South America, visible only from part of Chile and Argentina (click to expand).
(Map Source: http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2020_GoogleMapFull.html)

The prospects for reversion to “normalcy” with the posited relaxation or retirement of these policies by eclipse day, re-enabling access to the path of totality over South America to eclipse-chasers, remains unknowingly speculative at best.  We therefore have put the following plan into action to try, at least for a nuclear group of eclipse chasers, to mitigate this risk.

We conceived a plan to fly non-stop into the Temuco Araucania International Airport (ZCO) Freire, Cautin Province, Chile, on two separate low-passenger-density specially-arranged jetliner charter flights.  ZCO is in the path of totality with duration 1m 51s (see Table 1). One flight will originate from Miami, Florida, USA (MIA), and one flight from Sau Paulo, Brazil (GRU).  As the USA still remains closed to foreign nationals, we anticipate the MIA originating flight for USA citizens, and the GRU flight for all others (though not excluding USA citizens) as Brazil is “open” for entry, as well as in-transit connections.

We have requested through a liaison in the U.S. Embassy in Chile, working with their cognizant counterparts in the Chilean government, for these charter flights and  passengers to be granted “transit exemption” status which would allow them after arriving at ZCO to: (a) debark the aircraft, (b) observe the eclipse in segregated isolation from a designated secured location on the airfield/airport (see Figure 2), and (c) reboard and return to their points of origination, without ever formally entering the country (from an immigration standpoint).  Both aircraft will arrive at ZCO early in the morning with more than sufficient time to prepare for first contact, and depart soon after last contact.

Figure 2. Satellite view of the ZCO airport. 
With the Sun 72° above the horizon at totality, the secured areas of the airport/airfield provides a number of potential eclipse viewing sites (with TBD selection)
also with excellent near-horizon views. Click the image to enlarge, or see HERE to explore.

Both flights will be conducted with mandatory safety protocols in place to protect against contagion of the coronavirus including: negative-outcome CV19 testing prior to boarding, low-density (“middle and/or other seats empty”) limited passenger accommodation, wearing of PPE at all times during the outgoing and return flights including face masks and shields.  Specific requisite protocols will later be advised to participating passengers.  Each potential participant, of course, will have to judge for themselves their level of personal comfort for their safety vis-à-vis CV-19 risks (and mitigation) with this plan, regardless of our ability to execute it if  permissions sought are granted.

The essential and enabling permissions request for this plan is in progress, but is not yet assured.  The charter plans are going forward under a presumption of approval as there is insufficient time to arrange this in a serial fashion.  This may or may not happen.   Moving forward,  we have enlisted the expert services of Mr. Tim Todd of TEI Tours and Travel, who has arranged many successful eclipse expeditions and charter flights, including our most recent launched from Easter Island for TSE 2019, and as we have arranged from Punta Arenas for TSE 2021 (https://tinyurl.com/EFLIGHT2021).

If the above plan and opportunity holds serious interest for you, Mr. Todd can provide details for securing a place in this “ZCO eclipse” logistics and viewing plan by contacting him by phone at 1-925-825-6104 or email at tei@teiglobal.com  with additional information on his web site at: https://tinyurl.com/ADDRESS-TBD2