Reggaebird From Jamaica, joined Nov 1999, 1169 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5542 times:
I just visited St. Maarten and it's Princess Juliana Airport for the first time. I was, of course, impressed and amazed. It is truly a nirvana for aviation enthusiasts! Samples here:
B6JFKH81 From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2767 posts, RR: 7 Reply 1, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5469 times:
Quoting Reggaebird (Thread starter): Are there any other airports in the world that can offer similar spotters' experiences? If so, I'll be planning my next trip right away.
Try almost any other of the islands around SXM. I had to do a multi-island tour last fall for work and took Liat to get to the airports I had to work in. I started in Barbados, went to St. Maarten via Dominica, Antigua and St. Kitts. Then St. Maarten to St. Lucia via Antigua and Dominica. Many of the airports on these islands have similar set-ups. Some big jungle-covered mountain on one side of the runway, and either the water or a cliff on the other LOL! I give those pilots a lot of credit for making those appoaches!
Some islands can only handle small aircraft (twin otters, DASH-8's, caravans). Others do have large aircraft such as BGI and UVF which have wide-body aircraft from Europe (VS B744 and BA B777 were ones that I saw).
"If you do not learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it"
GBRandSYCguy From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2011, 50 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 5118 times:
On the other side of the world in the Indian ocean, Seychelles International Airport SEZ / FSIA has a beach at the end of RWY 13 and start of RWY 31. If access was not restricted it will surely be as spectacular as SXM. But unfortunately access is STRICTLY restricted and not help by the fact that there's a police academy on one side and an army base on the other, the beach is easily twice as wide and long as the one at SXB and include an island that was joined the the airport at the time of construction.
Reggaebird From Jamaica, joined Nov 1999, 1169 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 4461 times:
Quoting GBRandSYCguy (Reply 3): But unfortunately access is STRICTLY restricted and not help by the fact that there's a police academy on one side and an army base on the other, the beach is easily twice as wide and long as the one at SXB and include an island that was joined the the airport at the time of construction.
So the experience is not at all like SXM. Sounds like it would have been nice though!!!!!
jrodATC From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 46 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3902 times:
I know I'll be called crazy but I'm dying to visit SXM to stand behind a spooling 747. I saw it featured on the Travel Channel and they said that authorities will continue to allow people to congregate in front of runway 10 until someone is seriously hurt.
Reggaebird From Jamaica, joined Nov 1999, 1169 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3885 times:
Quoting jrodATC (Reply 6): I know I'll be called crazy but I'm dying to visit SXM to stand behind a spooling 747.
LOL!! I know what you mean. I longed to do it and finally got the chance to fulfill the dream on Sunday, March 6, 2011. I stood behind a departing KLM 747-400 at takeoff power. I wear the nicks and bruises on my face and arms as a badge of honor. Still waiting for friends to upload videos of my "ride" though.
IAHFLYR From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 4723 posts, RR: 25 Reply 8, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3839 times:
Quoting Reggaebird (Reply 7): I wear the nicks and bruises on my face and arms as a badge of honor. Still waiting for friends to upload videos of my "ride" though.
Welcome to the SXM sandblasting!!
Every time I am at beach bar it amazes me the number of people who want to get blasted with the sand and other junk that comes flying across the road and beach. Simply wild to watch and makes it difficult to keep count of the sodas one has consumed...as if I care.
Any views shared are strictly my own and do not a represent those of any former employer.
jrodATC From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 46 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3590 times:
That's awesome. Did you wear any protective gear? I plan on at least wearing a pair of goggles when I get the chance to do this. Congrats on fulfilling the dream, certainly cool and definitely on my bucket list of crazy things to do.
airjamaica From Jamaica, joined Aug 2006, 2318 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 3007 times:
Quoting Reggaebird (Thread starter): I just visited St. Maarten and it's Princess Juliana Airport for the first time. I was, of course, impressed and amazed. It is truly a nirvana for aviation enthusiasts! Samples here:
Very impressive video clips. Guess being so close to all the action is an attraction in St. Maarten within itself. Planning to visit there one day as well.
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