Airfoilsguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (6 years 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 10703 times:
Unlikely, doing so would only gain an extra 100 feet. There is also a road between the beach and the runway that would be lost. If they were to lengthen the runway I believe they would go the other way and reclaim part of the bay.
787KQ From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 547 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 10363 times:
Quoting Airfoilsguy (Reply 1): Unlikely, doing so would only gain an extra 100 feet. There is also a road between the beach and the runway that would be lost. If they were to lengthen the runway I believe they would go the other way and reclaim part of the bay.
The bay meaning the famous beach? Possible.
The other end is where the main road from Philipsburg to the Maho Bay area and the airport terminal are. So expansion likely would be into the famous beach and infill in the water. But its not needed so I hope it doesn't happen.
JayDub From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 10170 times:
Why would they bother? I can see resurfacing at some point, but is there really a need for extension? It seems to suit widebodies just fine. Maybe a little bit tight...but they make it work. Besides, extending over the beach would take away one of the unique things about SXM...something that is the reason many make the trek to St. Maarten.
And, so help me God, if someone answers my rhetorical questions with "I think they should extend it so the A380 can go there..."
FLY2LIM From United States of America, joined May 2004, 1183 posts, RR: 11 Reply 4, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 10149 times:
Quoting Airfoilsguy (Reply 1): Unlikely, doing so would only gain an extra 100 feet. There is also a road between the beach and the runway that would be lost. If they were to lengthen the runway I believe they would go the other way and reclaim part of the bay.
Quoting 787KQ (Reply 2): The bay meaning the famous beach? Possible.
The other end is where the main road from Philipsburg to the Maho Bay area and the airport terminal are. So expansion likely would be into the famous beach and infill in the water. But its not needed so I hope it doesn't happen.
Hmmmm, trying to remember here from when I was there in 2005. If I recall correctly, the runway is surrounded by key roads that connect businesses and hotels and such to main roads. I just don't know where they would go. Also, Maho Beach (that famous beach) is the beach for a large hotel/resort, so they would complicate that business.
DH106 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 621 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 10098 times:
I would think the only option for extension would be the beach end as the other side would take the departue end of the runway closer to the hills opposite - departing aircraft already perform an early right turn for clearance.
Regarding the access road by the beach - perhaps a Gibraltar type solution with a controlled road crossing a runway extend out into they bay. Would be a crying shame to lose Maho beach though !!
...I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate....
SLCUT2777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 3861 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 9893 times:
Quoting DH106 (Reply 5): I would think the only option for extension would be the beach end as the other side would take the departue end of the runway closer to the hills opposite - departing aircraft already perform an early right turn for clearance.
Regarding the access road by the beach - perhaps a Gibraltar type solution with a controlled road crossing a runway extend out into they bay. Would be a crying shame to lose Maho beach though !! (wow)
I'm not so certain that going onto the famous Maho Bay Beach is part of the long term plan for SXM:
Quote: The 28,000 square-meter addition will nearly double the size and passenger capacity of the current facility: it will be able to accommodate 2.5 million passengers per year - 1 million more than it can now. 54,000 square meters of land was reclaimed from the Simpson Bay lagoon for its construction. Koop Holding Europe, headquartered in Groningen, the Netherlands is the main contractor for the project; Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO) has been engaged to conduct supervision.
By executing Phase II, PJIAE is ensuring continued compliance with the increasing international safety and security standards, to meet future traffic demand and to improve the level of service at the airport. Once completed the Phase II developments will also anchor and enhance St. Maarten’s position as a preferred tourist destination and PJIA’s position as the premier gateway in the North Eastern Caribbean. RBTT Merchant Bank is the principal financier of the project.
There is nearly another two miles of space over the Simpson Bay lagoon to clear Sentry Hill, an a/c typically make a hard left or right bank upon acheiving a complete rotation. This typically takes them between the two high points on the island, the other being Mt Paradis.
[Edited 2007-05-14 18:18:44]
[Edited 2007-05-14 18:19:21]
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Atnight From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 586 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 8794 times:
Quoting Jamesbaldwyn (Reply 7): Can It handle the A380 ? Not that I can image it there.
From what it's said, the A380 can land anywhere a B744 can, and also the A380 requires less runway than the 747 for takeoff and landing.... The idea of a A380 landing at SXM may not be that far off, but of course I really doubt it will ever have schedule service... However, didn't the A380 land at some other airports in the caribbean that are similar in lenght to SXM? I'm pretty sure it did, just don't remember where... Someone I'm sure will know and can provide the runway figures.
SLCUT2777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 3861 posts, RR: 11 Reply 9, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 8155 times:
Quoting Atnight (Reply 8): From what it's said, the A380 can land anywhere a B744 can, and also the A380 requires less runway than the 747 for takeoff and landing.... The idea of a A380 landing at SXM may not be that far off, but of course I really doubt it will ever have schedule service...
Both AF and KLM have historically loved sending in their 747s during the peak months (Nov-May). But I highly doubt we'll see an A380 coming through this airport for some years, unless for some odd reason it is a charter or a plug-in/replacement a/c. AF turned increasingly to the A343 after @2002 for Paris-SXM service. Not sure if KLM has any equipment changes in mind in the not to distant future.
SLCUT2777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 3861 posts, RR: 11 Reply 11, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 7985 times:
Quoting YULYMX (Reply 10): KLM is sending the MD 11 to SXM from now on... unless the use a B744 to substitute reasons
Interesting. It seams all the shots that end up in the database are still 744s, but the MD-11 is a good choice for SXM:
Indio66 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 474 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 6678 times:
Quoting YULYMX (Reply 10): KLM is sending the MD 11 to SXM from now on... unless the use a B744 to substitute reasons
Indeed, I am down here and saw it land on Friday. I think if they expand the runway, it wil be into the lagoon and not the famous beach. The question is the mountains at that end of the runway.
YULYMX From Canada, joined May 2006, 977 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 6629 times:
Quoting Indio66 (Reply 13): Indeed, I am down here and saw it land on Friday. I think if they expand the runway, it wil be into the lagoon and not the famous beach. The question is the mountains at that end of the runway.
Big jets will always land from the ocean.but takeoff is happening either way
B52murph From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 233 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 3560 times:
If anything, don't today's jets require less runway @ MTOW than the classics? Looking @ departedflights.com the route in Nov '79 JFK-SXM was on AA with a 707; were those runs weight restricted? I also flew there myself in Apr '85 on a PA 747-100 and back on a PA 747SP; no problems, obviously.
B747 can takeoff from Sxm with pax and fuel for up to 3-4 hours easily it is with full payload and fuel to reach Europe that a B744 would have problems runway to short
Tockeyhockey From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 932 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (6 years 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2534 times:
the runway is being extended into simpson bay. however, the maho beach side will be affected in that landings and takeoffs won't occur as closely to the famous maho fence as they once did once the runway is extended.
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