This thread is for pictures relating to St Maarten and thus it is not unreasonable to expect to see SOME identifiable part of that place in the picture. Just ORDINARY aircraft pictures please in the 'Top Ladder' thread at http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=201688 which is where I have moved the last post, having tried with a magnifying glass to see some part of St Maarten:)

Not mine I think BOAC mate, any comments to the pics of Falcon 20 N911DT still welcomed I hope... :ok:

Okay BOAC - this one might surprise you - how well do you know the Island of St. Martin or will the location be
St. Maarten:D
Some of the island:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...essJuliana.jpg
On the road into Phillipsburg - near the salt lake
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../Rtoftrack.jpg
Meanwhile back at Juliana
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ulianaFire.jpg
But there's a happy ending;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...nekenranan.jpg

Oh no, it's the old "safe" vs "not safe" binary logic again...

Why do you think it is unsafe? There are plenty of harder airfields to get into around the world. You just seem to think this one is 'unsafe' because a few people decide to not heed the warning signs and stand underneath aircraft as they land, some taking photgraphs of the action. This doesn't make the airport unsafe; it may mean that those individuals have made their existence less safe than it would be if they stood a couple of hundred yards left or right of the extended centre line.

The airport has a decent looking runway, instrument approach facility (be it not ILS) fire-fighting to the required category and surveyed terrain (like all commercial fields) to ensure obstacle clearance. If operators follow their briefing material, which has been approved by their regulatory authority (and that overseeing the said airfield) then this airport is perfectly safe. As has been pointed out elsewhere, if the operator chooses to operate outwith his SOPs/ briefing material, then that has the potential to be just as unsafe at London Heathrow, or Amsterdam Schipol or anywhere else.....

PP

Looks like a nice big radar in a dome in the photo posted by GK430, so why do they do procedural approaches?
Anyway George F Charles (Castries) airport on St Lucia looks a lot scarier to me, not as bad as St Barts though!

Speaking as someone who has has operated in and out of St. Maarten more times than I can remember starting with a Jet Commander a long time ago (in the mid 1970s to be precise), various other jet aircraft including the 727 and lately a Falcon 50 and a Falcon 900 I can assure you that the airport is very safe.

I have sacrificed many, many hours of my off time in St. Maarten risking skin cancer from overexposure from the sun's rays and possible liver damage consuming large quantities of beer while sitting at the Sun Set Beach Bar studying and observing aircraft on final approach and landing.

I expect no rewards or acknowledgment from my unselfish actions and endless dedication to this very important study that I took at such a frightful risk to my health and well being. No my reward is that I can allay any fears about the safety of the airport in St. Maarten.

I must however admit that there were times that my intense concentration of observing the arrival of aircraft was some what interrupted by the sudden appearance of young members of the opposite sex wearing thong bikini bottoms and nothing else. However, let assure you that even the sight of 2 to 8 pairs of unclad bosom's belonging to very healthy young ladies could not deter me from my quest regarding the safety of flight. I do admit that I did occasionally miss the odd 747 landing or taking off, just a minor oversight mind you.

However, in interest of safety of flight in or around the St. Maarten airport I feel I should share with all of you something that possibly could affect safety of flight. I have on occasion witness a phenomena that in my humble opinion is rather unsafe to say the least. After 5 or 6 hours of researching the flavors of different beers and intensely observing arriving aircraft I would look up and suddenly see 2 aircraft of the exact same type and color in a very tight formation on final. I would immediately attempt to attract the attention of my fellow bar patrons so they could witness this obvious very dangerous action committed by possibly deranged fellow pilots. On these occasions my fellow bar patrons would appear to be ignoring my request to observe this strange site and move away from me, I could only assume that they were not as interested the safety of flight as I. By the time I returned my view to aircraft in formation, after failing to attract the attention of anyone else, the second aircraft in the formation would have disappeared. There would only be one aircraft on final. In spite of spending many more hours at the Sun Set Beach Bar trying to solve this mystery I could not come up with logical conclusion.

(I did report this to my fellow crew members the next day when I had seen these events and they assured me that I should not take any further action. Perhaps those 9/11 conspiracy people could shed some light on this subject?)

Okay, all kidding aside. I have operated in and out of St. Maarten (SXM) many times and it is a very safe airport. The weather there is nearly always excellent and when an occasional rain shower lowers visibility the shower does not last long.

Do not forget to visit the Seamans club in SXM if you are there!
it is great there!

con-pilot, was this the same day that I had a similar experience;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...XM-Corsair.jpg
But I did not see these beauties at the Sunset B bar...down the road a few km/miles :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/SXM-Miss.jpg
The man in the Twr was talking to these two Islanders, so ma eyes was not deceivin me!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...es/SXM-BN2.jpg"]
Chevvron - you're not at EGBP are you? The guys n' gals working here are looking after the second highest no. of ATM's in the Caribbean. They seem to cover a large chunk of airspace for the commuters to the s'east of San Juan Centre and beyond.St. Barth's - go see it:ok:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...es/SXM-Twr.jpg
The warning signs are there for all to see....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/SXM-Sign.jpg
so if you go to Maho beach - you are warned:=
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ehindKLdep.jpg
Yes, that was 4 Bald Eagles winding up out of the frame.

Thank you very much GK430. It is nice to see others with the same aviation safety concerns as myself.:ok:

I am so glad you have provided proof of the late afternoon, evening formation arrivals I have observed after many hours of quality checking large quantities of beer. (Some folks have tried to tell me that it was the amount of beer that caused double vision, nonsense I have replied, there were never two oceans. Utter rubbish. :p )

EGBP? You gotta be joking; that's FISOs; but I have done several PFA Rallys albeit not at EGBP. Con pilot has been known to visit my airport - hey Con pilot; why only beer; what's wrong with the local rum cocktails?
So that big radar is en-route and presumably just feeds to San Juan (Puerto Rico) rather than the local airport.

Chevvron, apologies, how could I forget where you are - all those posts from you and AM during a certain show and those lovely pics looking down from your vantage point.
I just remembered the company of your name which helps out when BAe146's and RJ's need to fly from EGBP - although you can't help but wonder if some will ever depart?
I really can't answer too much about ATC/Radar at TCNM, but on the busy days, they work their socks off. Typical and lovely U.S. style, if number one is a Cherokee and number two is a 74, that's the way it stays - no preferences!
All the 4 engined heavies have to backtrack from "C" - I think - "A" is too narrow and it's a fair way, so you see them holding when there is a rush of BN-2's etc on the app. Also, they are unable to vacate so from backtrack there is only one exit - back down the rwy.On one of the days, the only day with two 74 movements, the Corsair 744 held and finally was cleared to backtrack when the KL 744 established on the VOR/DME....it was never going to work and all at the Sunset were ooing and ahing when the KL went round from about 1D. You just had to feel for the KL who had probably been en route for 9 hrs.
If poss, could you PM me the e-mail of the Airfield Ops Manager at 'LF - I owe him a "thank you".
Con-pilot - just in case I have a shot of you over Maho, what's your tail number? I only have about two 900 pics over there, but you never know.
Might go again in March - anything to get out of this mild wet air, but i should go to Avalon. (But Melbourne in March.....possibly wet there too :ugh: )

Latest would be a Falcon 50EX N883RA, however, I am no longer flying for that company and am currently semi-retired. Before that it was a Falcon 900EX N883RA (Boss got poor and we had to downsize.) And of course the old Sabre 65 N883RA. I got tired of changing the registration on the aircraft all the time.

As you know around Christmas and New Years the airport is very, very busy. There are periods that they close down all non-airline arrivals. Very few corporate/private aircraft are allowed to remain overnight during the holiday season. I've had to hold for over an hour on a few occasions and had to divert to Antigua once to to get more fuel.

However, as far as I am concerned it is well worth all the problems once I am on the island. We use to stay about a week, sometimes longer, every trip. Luckily my wife was able to be on the aircraft with me on a lot of those trips.

Oh by the way, you can Google N883RA and there is picture of the Falcon 50 taken at Beijing China about a year and a half ago during a trip around the world that I made in that aircraft. Also the same picture is on that Airliner dot web site.

CP - Nice looking bird, but sorry, not in my collection.
Had a quick look but I have too many pics and filing is not by type....argh!
Only one I could find was this one
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tes/Falcon.jpg[/URL]
LRJ's seem to have the flattest trajectory
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/SXM-Lear.jpg[/URL]
Not a great pic of the DHC-6 - but I like it nonetheless
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/SXM-Wina.jpg[/URL]
Probably difficult to see where the F/O's looking at & doing - Large image is:D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...SXM-Iceair.jpg[/URL]

St Maarten. Isn't that the place where you can relax on the beach and moon the pilots on short finals?
The reason for the ASR was.......

http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...SXM_261106.flv
Found this tonight but I'm unsure if its been posted before. It's a KLM aborted approach. Sure is a busy beach!

It may have been posted before, however, I have never seen that video. Yes, that would about right on the beach crowd during the peak tourist season. It is a bit unusual to have a 74 taking-off and another 74 on approach.

And in slow motion, it went like this....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/Liningup.jpg
And the KL 744 goes around
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/Goaround.jpg
a bit of a reaction and oooh's and aaaah's at the Sunset BB
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ates/bored.jpg
and a few minutes later after a viz circuit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...s/thistime.jpg

St.Maarten
 

BOAC - I am sat at the Sunset Beach Bar - Wi-Fi working, but it's a bit hit & miss so please merge with the main thread if you wish!
By the way, amazing who you meet down here - a recent Snowbird 1 on Friday and yesterday a Capt from a U.S. airline....their duty day is more than 8 hours so 4 tech crew for the return trip on a minibus:sad: Could they hack a round trip to LCA or a Friday night TFS!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...-airfrance.jpg
Didn't realise you could bounce a 340:{
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...rune-USAir.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tes/pprune.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...mu-2pprune.jpg
Not seen an MU-2 in ages
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...une-Seneca.jpg

Time for a Carib....or a heineken - busy Sunday and looking forward to the St. Barth's rollercoaster tomorrow:D

Excellent shots :) Im off there on Friday onboard KLM and then a day-trip the SBH on the Monday. Weather looks good there at the moment, Friday is forecasting possible storms though! :=

Sam :ok: