airplanes?

[chaperonemom]

I have seen several sites saying their tours are going to stop at a point on the island saying they are stopping to see the airplanes. I haven't been able to connect the threads with the actual "attraction" of watching the planes. Could any of you elaborate on why this would be fun?

[The Big Booper]

I have seen several sites saying their tours are going to stop at a point on the island saying they are stopping to see the airplanes. I haven't been able to connect the threads with the actual "attraction" of watching the planes. Could any of you elaborate on why this would be fun?

 

 

How is this? Maho Beach at its craziest.

 

[chaperonemom]

I get it now! Thanks Big Booper! I appreciate your reply!

[Ocean Boy]

The picture pretty much says it all....

[kal]

That will be the last KLM 747 for quite awhile. They are now downsizing to an MD-11 with only 2 flights a week - Friday and Sunday.

[The Big Booper]

That will be the last KLM 747 for quite awhile. They are now downsizing to an MD-11 with only 2 flights a week - Friday and Sunday.

 

Boo on that. We are stopping on the Explorer at the end of May and I was looking forward to the planes. Oh well, there's always Corsair.......

[Ocean Boy]

Boo on that. We are stopping on the Explorer at the end of May and I was looking forward to the planes. Oh well, there's always Corsair.......

 

My brother had the pleasure of having a Corsair 474 blow him right off his feet as it revved up its engines for take off!

[melissasneu]

My husband loves airplanes and we live in Chicago and get to see our share. I didn't think this is something we would be interested in. At Chicago's Midway airport the planes land on very short runways in the middle of a residential area and so come in very low. But now that he saw your picture he doesn't want to miss Maho, I have to admit that is pretty cool. Thanks for showing it.

 

Melissa

[kal]

Go ...here... for a few videos of big jet landings.

[gtaylor]

Here are some more:

 

My Air France landing @

My KLM landing @

My 747 Takeoff @

My Small Plane Landing @

 

gary

[beachchick]

Okay, I've got a question I've been dying to ask, but felt kind of stupid about it. I figure, what the heck.

 

What about the noise level? I'm always really concerned about hearing issues because I had severe hearing loss as a child (mostly corrected by surgery when I was very young) and then recently had surgery to restore genetically-related hearing loss caused by otosclerosis. As much as DH and I would love to do this, I'm extremely concerned about the decibel level, even for a short time.

 

Do you wear ear plugs? If so, how much do they help? I keep the little foam squishy ones with me for general use, but even the good ones I use only block 35 db. I'm thinking that I should bring a pair of DH's shop ones (the little ones which go on a band around your head), which cancel about 60 db. Any insights?

 

Thanks.

 

beachchick

[Ocean Boy]

When the planes are landing they are not applying power to their engines and it really isn't very noisy at all.

[kal]

-chick

Agree the landings aren't bad from a noise perspective, however there's lots of concurrent action involving take-offs of other aircraft. When one of the big jets takeoff the noise is really significant. In your situation, without ear protection you would have to get in a car and leave the immediate Maho area. This could be a real logistical issue to go back and forth to catch incomings. Now from a macho perspective it's over the top! :D Lots of testosterone happening.

 

Go ...here... to get a bit of a feel for the noise on landings.

[beachchick]

Ocean Boy: Thank you.

 

Kal: Thanks to you too. Yeah, I've been around aircraft and airports all my life. I knew it wouldn't be only landings. As there's no way I'd go out to the flight line without ultra-protection for my ears, I was afraid I'd need the same thing for Maho. I know you boys have all that testosterone (God love ya!), so of course you've gotta do the macho thing. We've had more than our fair share of air field experiences, not to mention I can't count how many Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, or Snowbirds shows at air shows and such (usually as close to the line as possible). We even went out one night when we were staying on Whidbey Island several years back just to watch A6's do touch-and-go practice at the NAS. They came in right over us. Wow--I swear, it was one of those "wave to the pilot" things. DH got some cool photos, and I got a super one of him watching an A6 come in.

 

Well, it's either bring the ear protection or forego it. We'll see. I guess I should probably bring the good gear, just in case.

 

beachchick

[Ocean Boy]

Beachchick.....

 

Bring the ear gear. You wont' be sorry. It really is a fun time. It is so cool with everyone standing around and getting all excited when the lights of a plane appear in the distance. And there is something very exciting about being sand blasted by a plane that is revving up for takeoff!

 

The testosterone comment was funny... but true!!

[GrammaZ]

Big Booper, wonderful shot. We were in a vehicle as a A340 skimmed the roof and our shots did not do it justice. What a thrill.

[The Big Booper]

Big Booper, wonderful shot. We were in a vehicle as a A340 skimmed the roof and our shots did not do it justice. What a thrill.

 

I wish it was my shot :o. The plane came in low and the photographer timed it perfectly as the undercarriage swept over the access road.

[gtaylor]

I'm so disappointed.

 

I, too, thought that it was your original work, as there was no reference to any other site. I suppose that I could have checked the photo's properties and determined that fact, but I shouldn't have to.

 

I believe that we, collectively, like to know who the 'owner' of any 'work' or piece of IP (Intellectual Property) actually happens to be.

 

If I post something and don't link elsewhere or state that it belongs to someone else, then the assumption should be that it is mine. For me, that is a given.

 

gary

[The Big Booper]

Normally when I post a link or other bit here, I always credit the person who did it as regulars here know.

 

The photo that I cut and pasted has appeared here several times; I remembered it and went to the thread where it appeared recently.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding. You have to admit it is one great photo. If we get off the Explorer fast enough in May, I intend to scoot over to Maho before the 3 biggies land at 1 PM-1:30 PM to get some shots then head over to the Perch Bar for some post tax-season sunning.:)

[Dushi]

We were in St Maarten for a week in November 2006. Air France still operates a 747. The newly expanded airport will accomodate additional, and larger planes.

 

Despite the large signs posted at the end of the runways (to warn people about the dangers of being so close to the runway as jets take off), there are many adventurous types who still stand by the fence and experience the "rush".

[Ocean Boy]

Despite the large signs posted at the end of the runways (to warn people about the dangers of being so close to the runway as jets take off), there are many adventurous types who still stand by the fence and experience the "rush".

 

Experience the rush...... that says it all!!!:D And I am one of those people!!!:D :D

[kal]

The RUSH -

 

* Much higher than Hurricane force winds

* Searing hot jet blast on your skin

* Getting sand blasted

* Skin covered with oily mist

* Getting thrown around with no control whatsoever

* Very high risk of broken bones

* Use a camera and it's trashed

 

No common sense required.

[gtaylor]

We were in St Maarten for a week in November 2006. Air France still operates a 747. The newly expanded airport will accomodate additional, and larger planes. <snip>

 

Air France hasn't operated a 747 aircraft into St. Maarten for years.

 

The only 747 still visiting is by Corsair, a 747-400.

 

The recent (and ongoing) work at the airport does nothing for the runway's capacity for 'larger' planes.

 

gary