Airplane sights in St Maarten

[LCHIEN]

In tropical St. Maarten part of the Netherland Antilles in the Caribbean, there's a place where you can see arriving planes flying maybe less than 50 feet overhead.

The island is small and the airport runway so long that the end is close to the ocean. There is a beach and a road crammed between the end of the runway and the beachgoers regularly get an impressive view and the sounds and probably the feeling of the heavies of the aviation world flying just overhead.

The Sunset Bar nearby has a list of the arrival flight details and times of the larger aircraft posted on a surfboard for all the plane enthusiasts to sit around and enjoy their plane watching. Well lubricated patrons have been known to hang off the chain link fence (see sign below) for entertainment during take offs and landings.

Imagine the sound of four 53,000 pound thrust turbofan jet engines spooling up as the pilot revs up to slow his descent just before touchdown!

Reportedly a van was blown off the road by the jet wash of a Concorde when they were still flying.

See the pics below.

P.S. Do I really have 19 tabs open in my browser window?

[TB Roye]

See videos on one of the Channels of scary places to land and St Maarten's is alway included. Take offs are worse because the planes are at the end of the runway and on the ground. There are people with safety googles hanging on the fence.

Tom,

[Crockett]

that is absolutely insane!!!!!!

[leehljp]

See videos on one of the Channels of scary places to land and St Maarten's is alway included. Take offs are worse because the planes are at the end of the runway and on the ground. There are people with safety googles hanging on the fence.

Tom,

YouTube Videos of St. Maarten are great!