A chartered Isle of Man aircraft has completed one of the most technically demanding private aviation missions of the year. The jet flew directly into the path of Monday’s total solar eclipse at 41,000ft to give passengers a front‑row seat to totality.
The operation was led by Captain Craig McLeod, flying G‑IMTT out of the Isle of Man Jet Centre, a facility already gaining a reputation for specialist, complex and rapid‑turnaround missions.
McLeod said his crew was selected because they are “often requested for strange or slightly more complex type of jobs”. This assignment was exactly that: a precision intercept of the eclipse’s totality track over the North Atlantic.
Totality
After departing the island, the aircraft routed to Reykjavik to collect six passengers before climbing to cruise altitude and heading south to an exact GPS‑defined intercept point. The crew arrived 6–7 minutes ahead of totality, entering a holding pattern at 41,000ft to position the aircraft perfectly for the moment the Moon’s shadow swept across their location.
McLeod described the experience as “truly amazing”, with the aircraft holding a 184‑degree track to maximise viewing time. Passengers and crew witnessed 2.5–3 minutes of totality, a rare unobstructed view from above the cloud layer.
The mission placed G‑IMTT among a small fleet of eclipse‑chasing aircraft; seven or eight in total, but the Isle of Man charter stood out. It was the highest‑flying charter operator on the mission, with only a NASA specialist survey aircraft above them at 50,000ft. All other aircraft were lower.
McLeod said the operation was “very successful”, crediting support from handlers, colleagues and Icetra, the Icelandic aviation authority.
The flight returned to Reykjavik after the eclipse passed, completing what the crew described as a “fantastic trip and mission”.
This latest operation follows the Jet Centre’s recent expansion under new ownership, including the addition of G‑IMTT to the fleet.
Jet Centre
The Isle of Man Jet Centre is rapidly positioning itself as a niche operator capable of delivering high‑precision, high‑complexity missions, from VIP charters to scientific and specialist flights. Monday’s eclipse run reinforces that reputation and showcases the island’s aviation capability on a global stage.
