YWG From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 1140 posts, RR: 2 Posted (10 years 5 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1249 times:
I was just looking at som SXM photo's and it dawned on me, the movie pushing tin is quite similar to this. Would there be any issues with people being thrown around by wake turbulence like in the movie?
Captaingomes From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 6413 posts, RR: 58 Reply 1, posted (10 years 5 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1229 times:
I haven't been there myself, but I will go some day! I hear it is very windy when aircraft are taking off, but haven't heard what it's like with aircraft landing. I don't know if it's an exaggeration, but I heard if you stand by the fence with an aircraft taking off you can literally be there hanging on otherwise you will be blown backwards.
I'll let you know when I finally go there one of these days!
"it's kind of like an Airbus, it's an engineering marvel, but there's no sense of passion" -- J. Clarkson re: Coxster
SAS-A321 From Denmark, joined Mar 2002, 401 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (10 years 5 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1150 times:
There is a video clip with an Air France 747-200 setting full thrust. Shortly after you can see sand being blown away and the people runs to the water.
The windspeed behind a full thrust engine can reach a couple of hundreds kilometers an hour! So remember to bring your windsurfer!
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 3, posted (10 years 5 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1147 times:
If you read the OCT issue of airways, they did an article on SXM. Supposedly a guy threw his dog in the air and it blew into the water (swam back safely though). Landings aren't that bad, depatures of the 747's is what you need to worry about. Myself and a few of my buddies stood behind an Air France 747-300. You could feel the heat of the engines as it sat there in idle, he throttled up, and I held on to the guard rail on the side of the road.....it blew my shirt over my head. Quite an experience!
Apollo13 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (10 years 5 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1093 times:
My cousin did a really stupid thing there: He brought his laptop and when an AF 747 reved up his engines his laptop was thrown out of his hand. Took him a hell of a long time to pick up the pieces. My deepest sorrows to the laptop it was a very nice one.
Je89_w From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 2327 posts, RR: 10 Reply 6, posted (10 years 5 months 3 days ago) and read 1039 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW PHOTO SCREENER
The clip showed people being blown into the water (not running) including beach umbrellas and other beach toys. It was funny . . . I think the people wanted a "fun" beach ride so they purposely stood behind the aircraft while on departure.
Has SXM ever had a wind direction change where the aircraft takeoff over the beach? Never saw photos of it before . . .
HlywdCatft From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5321 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 986 times:
I read it is a fun pratical joke to play on first timers there. Not to let them know about the engine blast when a 747 takes off and everyone leaves the beach while they are sitting with their headphones on, next thing you know all of their stuff is in the water and they are getting sandblasted.
BR715-A1-30 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 949 times:
You know, it kind of makes you wonder. With all of these Spotting places being closed down by the TSA, How long will it take those idiots to close down SXM Beach? . It is very easy to launch a missile there.
FlightSimFreak From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 720 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 888 times:
The closest I've experianced is about 2-300 feet away from a C-17 landing. You hear the wake turbulence, and it got slightly windy, but there was no blow you over force... this was on a day with a 5-10 knot direct x-wind, so it should have hit me...
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 12, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 875 times:
SXM isn't part of the USA, so the TSA couldn't do anything anyways.
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9077 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 876 times:
Je89_w,
There are wind direction changes which lead to aircraft taking off from the opposite direction (over the beach). There's one photo of an ALM MD82 taking off from the opposite direction which I took (see photo below). I know the pilot who flew that day. When I arrived from Guadeloupe in an Air Guadeloupe ATR72, we also came in from the opposite direction which was quite a different experience if you're used to landing over Mahoo Beach.
ContinentalEWR From United States of America, joined May 2000, 3762 posts, RR: 15 Reply 14, posted (10 years 5 months 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 870 times:
I spent a week at the Maho Beach Resort, adjacent to Princess Juliana Airport in 1990. The hotel owns the beach at the foot of the runway and I spent my time sunning and swimming right there. I can tell you, there is no turbulence to speak of from incoming aircraft (while I was there, everything from a DH8 to a 747-300 landed) but take off is a different story. The thrust from a 747, or even an A300, 757, or 727 as was the case at that time, was poweful enough to be felt on the beach.
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. It is very easy to launch a missile there. 
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