Info for Sint Maarten/St. Martin

[JimG.]

St Martin actually has 2 world famous beaches.. Of course there is Orient Beach for obvious reasons, but among airliner afficionados there is nothing in the world like Maho Beach,. the small beach just to the south of SXM airport. Just go to www.airliners.net and put in SXM in the search box. You'll be amazed at the number of amazing low level photos they've got.

People flock to that beach in the afternoon and just hang out there waiting for the big birds to arrive.

Photos like this are typical:

So people enjoy this?

I don't even like airports, why would I want to sit on a beach at the end of a runway?

I never cease to be amazed.

 

[SkiDork]

Jim - it takes a certain type of person to enjoy this...

When I was a kid and you asked me what did I want to do when I grew up, my answer was always "A Pilot"

So thats where I'm coming from. I eventually got my private license. But it was too late. Flying the heavy iron (747, etc) is SUCH a cool thing and SO out of my reach. But I still have a passion for anything to do with the huge birds. I used to go to JFK (before 9-11) and just sit there listening to my scanner and watching them arrive. The smell of Kerosene just gets my blood going (Jet-A is basically kerosene)

I could go on and on...

 

[JimG.]

Jim - it takes a certain type of person to enjoy this...

When I was a kid and you asked me what did I want to do when I grew up, my answer was always "A Pilot"

So thats where I'm coming from. I eventually got my private license. But it was too late. Flying the heavy iron (747, etc) is SUCH a cool thing and SO out of my reach. But I still have a passion for anything to do with the huge birds. I used to go to JFK (before 9-11) and just sit there listening to my scanner and watching them arrive. The smell of Kerosene just gets my blood going (Jet-A is basically kerosene)

I could go on and on...

I understand...probably similar to going to a drag race. I love going in the pits and standing next to a Top Fueler when they fire that baby up before pulling into the staging lanes.

But I've brought friends who just didn't get into it...they never got past the intense noise and smell of nitromethane.

 

[SkiDork]

I understand...probably similar to going to a drag race. I love going in the pits and standing next to a Top Fueler when they fire that baby up before pulling into the staging lanes.

But I've brought friends who just didn't get into it...they never got past the intense noise and smell of nitromethane.

I would love to check out a top fueler rocketing off from the line one day. Never done it but love watching it on TV. Big Daddy. Don "The Snake" Prudhome, Shirley Muldowney, many others...

 

[NHpowderhound]

Watching those planes take off and land will be a sight that will stay with me until the day I die.
Here is a KLM 747 I shot taking off. As I pan towards the beach watch the sand getting blasted off the beach and some guys hat ripped from his head and sent into the ocean!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RSQVX_KnNY

((*
*))NHPH

 

[Sky]

Whoa! I'm sure it's the perspective....but how frickin close does that jet come to those mountains!

 

[JimG.]

I would love to check out a top fueler rocketing off from the line one day. Never done it but love watching it on TV. Big Daddy. Don "The Snake" Prudhome, Shirley Muldowney, many others...

Believe me, TV does it NO justice.

The names you mention are the drag strip heros of my youth: Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Cha Cha Muldowney, Don Schumacher, Connie Kalitta, Tom McEwen, Ed McColloch, Kenny Bernstein, etc.

Most of these names are now team owners, crew chiefs, or broadcasters. Some have sons who are now drivers like Tony Schumacher who has won 3 Top Fuel championships in a row, Doug Kalitta, or Brandon Bernstein. John Force, Ron Capps, Robert Hight, and Gary Scelzi rule Funny Car.

Pro Stock is pretty cool too, but it lacks the fire breathing power of the nitro cars.

 

[SkiDork]

Whoa! I'm sure it's the perspective....but how frickin close does that jet come to those mountains!

It is perspective, but I bet the pilot has to execute a wifferdill to get it up safely...

 

[SkiDork]

Believe me, TV does it NO justice.

The names you mention are the drag strip heros of my youth: Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Cha Cha Muldowney, Don Schumacher, Connie Kalitta, Tom McEwen, Ed McColloch, Kenny Bernstein, etc.

Most of these names are now team owners, crew chiefs, or broadcasters. Some have sons who are now drivers like Tony Schumacher who has won 3 Top Fuel championships in a row, Doug Kalitta, or Brandon Bernstein. John Force, Ron Capps, Robert Hight, and Gary Scelzi rule Funny Car.

Pro Stock is pretty cool too, but it lacks the fire breathing power of the nitro cars.

Too bad about Scott...

 

[bigbog]

...THAT...is one heck of an approach....

that is somethin'....

 

[JimG.]

I was in Mt. Holly and thought about stopping in for the final eliminations...until I saw video of the explosion and subsequent crash.

It was horrific.

Having a 7000 horsepower bomb between your legs traveling at 300mph is a pretty unforgiving scenario when it goes bad.

I pray he was unconscious or dead right after the big bang. RIP.