David Prescott has been planning his day above the clouds for more than a year. He plans to view the April 8 solar eclipse from a private plane.

Prescott is a Navy veteran, signing up right after high school as a nuclear engineer. He now owns Warbird Factory, which is based at Albany International Airport and restores and repairs old warplanes.  

He’s also the founder of the Prescott Foundation, which keeps history alive through restoring and displaying vintage aircraft, specifically World War II planes.

Prescott will be in the pilot’s seat Monday afternoon, flying from Syracuse to Plattsburgh along that path of totality.

He is prepared for more air traffic than normal, he said. He’s also keeping track of any military training exercises along his flight plan.

For someone who flew in a B-25 over the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor for the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, and landed a plane at the Kennedy Space Center, he says what he hopes to experience on April 8 ranks right up there.

Learn about what inspired him to head up in a plane for this once-in-a-lifetime event by watching the video of Chris Onorato’s story.