Beefer From United States of America, joined Jun 2003, 390 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 135754 times:
I know videos of planes landing at St. Maarten SXM are a dime a dozen on the internet, but here's a new one (at least to me) which has to be the lowest I've seen yet.
I don't think you can possibly get any lower on the third landing in the video.
National757 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 711 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 135444 times:
Quoting FlySSC (Reply 4): Well, you can always get lower ... and finish like this :
Whoa! That's insane!
One of these days I am going to spend a few days in SXM. Sounds like a perfect vacation spot for the aviation enthusiast!
BCAL From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2004, 3384 posts, RR: 25 Reply 6, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 135408 times:
Quoting FlySSC (Reply 4): Well, you can always get lower ... and finish like this
But that DC10 was attempting to take off. Here is a picture that shows a low, low landing that made a truck driver slam on his brakes to let the aircraft fly overhead.
Starlionblue From Greenland, joined Feb 2004, 13821 posts, RR: 67 Reply 9, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 135336 times:
Quoting EGBJ (Reply 1): Are there any plans for SXM to get an ILS installed?
There's really no point as visibility is pretty much always good.
Having been there I will say there is some degree of optical illusion in play. The road and especially the beach are on a slight downslope compared to the runway. so it's not quite as bad as it seems in a video. Also, aircraft never touch down on the very end of the runway. Pretty sure SXM has a displaced threshold anyway.
Tact Is For People Who Aren't Witty Enough To Be Sarcastic
Kevin777 From Denmark, joined Sep 2006, 1071 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 135282 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 9): Also, aircraft never touch down on the very end of the runway. Pretty sure SXM has a displaced threshold anyway.
Actually, SXM hasn't got a displaced threshold... There's a picture here on a.net of a KLM 747 touching down on the yellow markers (don't know what it's called, safety zone or whatever), R I G H T behind the fence, and e few meters before the threshold, which is at the very end of the runway...
Kevin777
"I was waiting for you at DFW, but you must have been in LUV"
Well, not that difficult. The biggest difficulties are:
- Water creating an optical illusion, making you go too low.
- Mountains at the other end requiring a turn if you go around.
It's not even comparable to a place like Kai Tak.
Tact Is For People Who Aren't Witty Enough To Be Sarcastic
APFPilot1985 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 134872 times:
Quoting Kevin777 (Reply 10): There's a picture here on a.net of a KLM 747 touching down on the yellow markers (don't know what it's called, safety zone or whatever),
Those sure look like displaced threshold markers to me.
Nycaviator From United States of America, joined May 2007, 55 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 134808 times:
Can't wait to go to SXM soon. Amazing place to do some spotting, take pictures, and enjoy the beach!
The third landing was really close. Can you imagine being in the red car? I can only imagine what would have been going through their minds.
Flying is like having eyes on the top of the world.
RL757PVD From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 3438 posts, RR: 19 Reply 16, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134771 times:
Quoting APFPilot1985 (Reply 14): Those sure look like displaced threshold markers to me.
Nope... Displaced threshold markings are white, indicating pavement intended/usable for takeoff or rollout. The yellow chevrons indicate a blastpad/stopway, which is NOT considered a useable part of the runway.
Experience is what you get when what you thought would work out didn't!
797 From Venezuela, joined Aug 2005, 1577 posts, RR: 28 Reply 17, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134742 times:
...Another reason for me to go visit SXM...
I have this strange feeling that some day a fool is going to come with 'safety B.S.' and take away the place us A.netters consider to be the Vatican...
Must go a.s.a.p.
Cheers.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who love Airplanes, and the rest of you poor bastards!
Iaddca From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 251 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134742 times:
FlySSC From Lebanon, joined Aug 2003, 6442 posts, RR: 64 Reply 19, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134651 times:
Quoting APFPilot1985 (Reply 14): Those sure look like displaced threshold markers to me.
Quoting RL757PVD (Reply 16): Nope... Displaced threshold markings are white, indicating pavement intended/usable for takeoff or rollout. The yellow chevrons indicate a blastpad/stopway, which is NOT considered a useable part of the runway.
Spacecadet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2171 posts, RR: 19 Reply 21, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134331 times:
Ted: We're gonna have to come in pretty low on this approach.
Elaine: Is that difficult?
Ted: Well sure it's difficult. It's part of every textbook approach. It's just something you have to do ... when you land.
- Airplane II
I'm tired of being a wanna-be league bowler. I wanna be a league bowler!
Phxplanes From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 432 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134218 times:
Do you think pilots purposely fly a little lower then normal going in there, they know everyone is watching and might want to give a little show. If I ever got to fly in there I think I would fly a little low, of course still being safe.
Dakota From Netherlands, joined Feb 2000, 132 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 134134 times:
Does anyone know when this was filmed? It does not seem very recent: it looks like the AF 747 is a -200 series and the KLM 747's have the old color scheme. KLM did stop using 747's since april if I am correct.
Boeing747_600 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 1092 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 133910 times:
Quoting 797 (Reply 17): a fool is going to come with 'safety B.S.'
While we'd all miss the spectacular low approaches, I wouldnt be quite as cavalier about the VERY genuine safety issues involved. We've been extremely fortunate that there hasnt been a major disaster at that airport - its a testimony to the flight crew of all carriers operating at SXM for decades now.
25 LH450: Oooh wow, thats really dangerous!!! I'd love to stand at this beach one day! Thanks for sharing! Cheers
26 Tjc2: Are you sure those two planes aren't taking off? Alot of people on this forum have always said it how cool it would be to go to SXM and spot some hea
28 Luisca: I honestly dont see anything particularly dangerous about the approach, the road should be closed, but other than that a runway is a runway is a runw
29 757Driver: I take it you don't have a problem with the specific approach...not this particular approach by the KLM 747. If this were in the US, that pilot would
30 Jerald01: I've not been to SXM, but IIRC Maho Beach was either wiped out by a storm or was closed by the authorities some time in the last couple of months, was
31 ScrubbsYWG: So what is the point of that displaced threshold? If i udnerstand correct with the definitions in this thread, the part with the arrows is usable for
32 MD80Nut: My family vacationed in St. Martin back in 1970 when I was just 14. The runway then was only about 5,250 or so feet long then and I got to lay on the
33 Morvious: Why just don't close that road or dig a tunnel. Although the images are clear, the video isn't. I agree that the pilot should have gone around with t
34 ClearedDirect: In my visit there, myself and two friends actually went to the chain link fence on the airport side of the road and hung on to the fence as a CO 757
35 JRowson: The 3rd clip from that video and the photos that have been posted above are the same incident. That's the 2nd video i've seen of that landing (the oth
36 Luisca: Sure this was a bad approach, but these things happen, everybody has had a horrible landing (or a few) in their lives. Its not like the pilot did it
37 Airfoilsguy: It would just be ignored. There is a sign there now that no one pays attention to. It is the only road there is and digging a tunnel is cost prohibit
38 EGCC777LR: Good spot my feind, these photos are of the same landing in the film, (The 3rd one) It has been discussed here before, think someone else said it was
41 Wolfpacker: wow .. those are low landings .. is that beach a nude beach? i really didnt need to see that guys butt
42 PH-TVH: Yeah, yeah, we all know its spectacular.... Ugh... Still waiting till someone breaks the fence with the main wheels... lol
43 Starlionblue: I would guess a bit over two meters. I don't think I could reach the top. But I wasn't really checking closely.
44 COA735: Makes me wonder, Has there ever been a incident where a plane (or fence) has been damaged in the history of this airport? Got to be one at least.
45 Ebs757: Did I see an AA 767, I didn't know they flew there. Maybe an equipment change?
46 Mymiles2go: Rumor says that one AF pilot did it (removal of fence)...twice, and was subsequently banned from further landings at SXM. Again, island rumor fwiw.
47 10113851: The boys in the KLM (3rd clip) were very low. Would love to see the look on the foqa analysts face, when reviewing that flight!
48 AF777300ER: The fence is around 2 meters high. People have to stay attached to the fence just after landing because the blow can push them on the little road jus
50 MIAspotter: A pair of GE CFM engines? MIAspotter
51 Kevin777: Me too me too!!!! Me too.... let's all fight it! Amen to that! I think I'll tell my future wife that we are going on honeymoon to this beautiful Cari
52 EBGflyer: Same thing with Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in Rio. Back in late 2002, when I was swimmer, I was on a training camp at the Naval Base right next to t
53 Tony Lu: This thread is on the front page on digg.com! Hope the a.net servers can handle it.
54 Aauzou: Iv heard that if you hold onto the fence while a 747 is on takeoff you can fly like superman THAT WOULD BE FUN I WANT TO DO IT!!!!! Regards 760611
55 FlySSC: Above all, you can be severely injured by the blast ! People who are doing this are stupid, foolish, and should be prosecuted.
56 Lewis: If they are stupid enough to risk injuring THEMSELVES, why go as far as prosecuting them? Let them get seriously injured, and we'll see if they have
57 FlySSC: The problem is not that they can injure themselves ! After all, they are responsible for their own life ! The problem is that in playing that "game",
58 Vfw614: Why don't they block off the street for the handful of widebody arrivals each day ?
59 Gift4tbone: The one on the left side of the runway, is the 'Maho Beach Resort and Casino' Which is where I plan to stay on my visit in OCT. -Tony@PVD
60 Starlionblue: It's not THAT bad. You CAN be blown away, but unless you stand in just the "right" spot it's mostly just a lot of sand in your mouth,
61 Philzh: I sure hope, for both of you, that she's into spotting as well, or else your honeymoon might turn out to be slightly less than romantic (I know my GF
62 Starlionblue: It's more fun to stand off to the side with a beer.
63 AirframeAS: Dude, seriously...you need to live a little....and get out more often!
64 Lehpron: If anything they might close the beach under the path, for safety's sake.
65 Kevin777: Looks excellent... just saw it on the Internet... and learned a little about our Mekka..! Didn't know that it was half dutch / half French for instan
66 MadameConcorde: As much as I would love going spotting at SXM, I would never risk anything like this. With my thin body I would be flown off almost up to Concorde hei
67 Philzh: Is this a fake? If it isn't, I pity the hearing of the folks who were standing there -- the loudest thing I ever heard inside a plane was a Concorde
68 FlySSC: I think it's real. Concorde could land at SXM.
69 MadameConcorde: No it wasn't a fake. I know at least of 2 times when French Concordes landed at SXM. One of them was a RTW trip. The other was when they flew Presiden
70 Starlionblue: Dutch side: Casinos and night clubs. French side: Much more "calm". Note it's "Sint Maarten". While technically possible to land, there might be taxi
71 Beefer: Anybody else notice that this thread has over 104,000 views already. It must be getting linked to other websites because I don't see how just the user
72 Starlionblue: Possibly. But last I checked a.nut was the 7th most active board on the web.
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