St. Maarten airport - is this for real!!?

Wow - thats a great pic. Great airport if you are a planespotter! My guess is it's real.

😳 Wow! Here it is, fantastic isn't it.

Download for FS2004:
https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/2684/fs2004-st-maarten-princess-juliana-intl-scenery/

Download for FSX:
https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/2685/fsx-st-maarten-princess-juliana-intl-scenery/

Somewhere in the Carribean I'm guessing... some more pics!:

Can you even imagine how cool it would be to spend a day on the beach there! Notice, in almost every pic all heads are watching the aircraft.

More images added July, 2011:

A private jet landing over beach:

A blank Boeing 747 with no paintwork landing:

This is becoming a hot topic - might have to write an article about St. Maarten.

These are the most fantastic videos of aircraft landings that I have ever seen.

(dead link removed)

We honeymooned in St. Maarten, those pics are for real. We sat on that beach for about 3 hours one day and watched them while drinking fresh Caribs.
I highly recommend the trip...the approach is so unbelieveable...

Yeah, airliners.net is a great place for these type of photos, especially of st. maarten.

Yeh thats for real alright, flying in there on the 15th May 2004, wish me luck. Its Princess Juliana Airport on St Marteen in the Dutch Antillies.

😞 next time you use one of my photos Fly Away guy, you may want to give me credit?

Anonymous wrote:

😞 next time you use one of my photos Fly Away guy, you may want to give me credit?

If it's credit you're after, why not make yourself known?!?

all of those pics are real!!

yeah its real, probably taken from sunset beach bar. Air France and KLM
arrive and depart every thursday.

I want to know, do they close the beach when a jet or plane needs to make a emergency landing at the airport? And, the same for if Air Force 1 lands there?

From what I can tell the beach is very short and a road is between it and the airport fence.
I doubt that AF1 will be visiting a small place like that any time soon.

I am from St.maarten born on the dutch side and raised on the french side. It's for real I used to go there every weekend as a kid to watch the planes land and take off. It's a beautiful view.

I live right next to the runway, and everything you see in these pictures is for real!. Allthough I live on the far site of the runway, the planes turn around right in front of my house.

Is you love planes, you have to come and visit St Maarten, and offcourse do more down here then spot airplanes. Enjoy the island for its restaurants, bars, beaches, weather and people.

Enjoy your stay on the friendly island!

N/A

how long is that runway? some of those planes look a little low on the GS

yes i believe this is real because i have see it on tv...
there are more places like this with low flying airplanes above an beach... in holland we got schiphol and there rides airplanes over an bridge over the highway thats spectuculair to.. they see if it's hapen to you , you may do an wish....

greetz... the netherlands

flyaway wrote:

Somewhere in the Carribean I'm guessing... some more pics!:

Can you even imagine how cool it would be to spend a day on the beach there! Notice, in almost every pic all heads are watching the aircraft.

Yeah, but noone seems to cover their ears.. Ever been in a plane? Quite loud.. Clever guys here, I must say..

Island boy wrote:

yeah its real, probably taken from sunset beach bar. Air France and KLM
arrive and depart every thursday.

So how come no one is covering their ears? Planes r not loud or what?

Semi wrote:

Island boy wrote:

yeah its real, probably taken from sunset beach bar. Air France and KLM
arrive and depart every thursday.

So how come no one is covering their ears? Planes r not loud or what?

Great post Semi...

hey, i'm from st maarten and i live right next to the airport, and i just wanted to say that it's really cool to see these pics on the website and that you guys like the airport so close to the beach..i think it's pretty cool too 😀

no they don't close the beach or surrounding area, and yes i've seen many air force planes on the airport already...and a lot of private jets (especially for x-mas and new years)

Hi! Im sure youve been asked before but I wasnt sure where to look. We will be visiting St Maarten on TH 12/30 (cruise stop) and would love to bring our 3 yr old airplane & beach loving son to Maho to watch the plane. What is the best time to get there to see several planes with a short waiting period? We are in port from 7-6 but dont want to spend all day there. Also for you locals, what is the best way to get there? Thanks for all your help! We cant wait to visit your beautiful island!

alison

Here's a picture of the famous sign.

http://www.l1011.homestead.com/signzz.html

I was leaving in the 2nd house in the mountain in the axe of the runway.
The plane make a curve just on the vertical of my house maybe 200-400 feet.so close that i can see hydraulic lick on the belly!!
An other funny game for rough guy it is to hang the wall behind the plane when the plane put full power with brake during 1 mn before moving. That's crazy your feet stop touching ground and you make like a flag after 30 sec. !!!!
spec of SXM:
runway long: 1780m
never more than 120 pax (i don't know the max weight)
only 5 hour of fuel in tank (include safety, so the flight after SXM never more than 80 mn.)

(sorry for my very bad english)

What airport are thies beach pictures at????

Anonymous wrote:

What airport are thies beach pictures at????

Check this post.

https://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/3974/st-marteen/

😀 ➡ ➡

hi i am from the netherlands and i also been on the bridge the wheels of the air plane almost hit my car it looks like its near the car because the air plane is so big but in real its like 10 - 20 m.

yo

tuco wrote:

spec of SXM:
runway long: 1780m
never more than 120 pax (i don't know the max weight)
only 5 hour of fuel in tank (include safety, so the flight after SXM never

Not quite.

The runway down there is 7054 feet, which is 2150m. Airlines routinely operate 747s in there (KLM, Corsair), and Air France's A340 flight to Paris actually goes back non-stop from SXM.

2 sites for you 1st airport info and the 2nd some pics 👍

http://www.world-airport-codes.com/guadeloupe/st.-maarten-juliana-7088.html

http://l1011.homestead.com/smx.html

The approach to RW19R at John-Wayne-Santa Ana Airport is very much the same except that it is not as visually appealing as the beach. On short final, you cross the San Diego Freeway at less than 100 feet AGL. Every once in awhile, someone causes an accident swerving because they think the plane is about to hit them.

The approach into San Diego-Lindberg is also pretty dramatic. It is a normal glide slope but the land rises as you get closer to the runway and on short final, you feel as if your landing on the rooftops.

Yo, that shits for real, ive been there a bunch of times, crazy

im no airfiled geek or owt like tht but the pics on the 1st page of this topic, of st maarten, are all wrong, some of them have a road between the beach and the fence and some dont, im gussing tht only one end of the runway has a beach at the end, can anyone guide me on this?

If you mean the phots in the post by flyaway,they are the same airport
They are taken from different angles and if you look ,the beach go'es up to a small wall,then the road.Its just that the angle of the shot mahes it look as if there is no road

Check out more photos here ➡

http://www.airliners.net/search/?

St Maartin is part of the Dutch Antillies, so in airport search look for Netherlands Antillies and you will get loads of pics 👍

Blondini wrote:

Yeh thats for real alright, flying in there on the 15th May 2004, wish me luck. Its Princess Juliana Airport on St Marteen in the Dutch Antillies.

where are they located at?? i wanna see it

irakian like the smell of g w

____________
Vide0s gratuites - Squatt Master - Putes baisees - Sexovore - Site de boules

by jesus dats cool

osama bin laden is in the building again.....ahaha

Realize this is an old thred but figured ..why not resurrect it.
Last member to post: TTT on Aug 24, 2003. 🙂
-Read through the posts above and found them all to be
interesting and entertaining..Then I realized I had been
holding on to this screenie for a long time. Took a gamble
and figured nobody would mind to much and that hopefully
no one is tired of the St. Juliana St. Maarten approach?
🙂

The pictures of the "heavies" landing here are all phony. If you'll notice, the Air France 747's landing gear isn't even down all the way. This link even tells you that the first set of pictures aren't real.

http://l1011.homestead.com/smx.html

Don't believe everything you see and read unless you have actually done it. 😂

Agent008, it does seem like most of those photos are fakes. I wonder why someone would waste their time creating fakes. I have been to SXM, and the landings are much more dramatic than the photoshopped photos. Look on airliners.net for some of the greatest photos from SXM.

I just got back from St.Maarten today, I went down for my Dad's wedding and that place is amazing..i was soo amazed by the planes and everytime one flew by everyones heads turned to watch it land...you have to see it for yourself.. 😂 [/b]

Here is a video of a 747 landing at St Maarten

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/lowland.html

Are tractor trailors allowed to drive on that road? 😳

im surprised you guys didnt know about st. marteen... its so famous....

agent 008, just because u didnt see it, it doesnt mean its not true... st. marteen is real, and thats the kind of final a/c fly... dont be the big expert if u are not...

The airport at Saint Maarten is all too real. Many years ago, I flew in there on a Caravelle and out on a 727. As far as I am concerned that airport is a ticking time bomb. If memory serves, that runway is not level. You land at the low end so that the grade helps slow the plane. You take off going downhill to gain speed. It is too short, has too much immediately adjacent to it.

I love Saint Maarten, but will not fly there again.

That's lovely....I don't think I'll be visiting it anytime soon 😳

Not all of these are real. If you look at the AirFrance plane the gear isn't even down... How real is that...

Some of the pics are fake, but the approach is real.

The ILS takes you over the beach at approx 50-70 feet over the beach on your way to the threshold of the runway.

That part of the beach is closed to bathers for obvious reasons.

watch these photos http://rinonapo.atspace.com

sorry I meant http://rinonapo.atspace.com/sxm-stmarteen.html

craigcolby wrote:

And, the same for if Air Force 1 lands there?

Given that it's the DUTCH Antilles, I don't suppose they would care if it ended up on the beach.

The photos are from the Sunset Beach Bar. Sit at the bar, drink caribs and watch the planes land. Check out their website and live cam at www.sunsetbeachbar.com

It's real. I've been to the airport. It feels like you can reach up and touch the planes.

To extinguish the debate, St.Maarten airport is very real.

I believe it is in fact the lowest approach way in the world over an urbanised area (if you wish to call a beach, 'urbanised'!).

U did not mentioned address in ur site so plz make sure that u r going to update very soon

Regards
Dharan

[quote="Dharan"]U did not mentioned address in ur site so plz make sure that u r going to update very soon

Regards
Dharan 😛

For more details contact
nickey2@breakthru.com

It just seems so unsafe. I understand it's a different country, but if they had something like in America, activists would be screaming their heads off about public safety!!!! It looks like an awesome place to visit, but I'd be a little leary about getting too close.

why would air force one land at st. maarten?

Anonymous wrote:

why would air force one land at st. maarten?

So the President can get a suntan 😉

we have spent time in the condo pictured behind it seems like the planes are coming right onto the balcony!. Kids often hold onto the wire perimeter fence and are lifted horizontally when a big jet takes off from that end of the runway!! Awesome!

Ive just been browesing through this 5 page old post and it made some very interesting reading.

I just can't belive how low the appoach is. Someone standing on the beach or road could easy gun down an airliner plane on finals, or the plane could make a mistake, and crash killing hundereds of people...I just don't understand how this is allowed?

Heres what the appoach to TNCN looks like on fs2004 for those interested:

(Who was it that said Airforce One never visited? 😉 )

BTW, you guys should really check out: http://www.sunsetbeachbar.com/livecam/index_html?cam_select=5 if you want to see the planes landing over the beach LIVE!

😳 Aren't you just a wee bit low?

Aren't you just a wee bit low?

RGR that CG! I landed about 10m feet short of the runway thresh-hold 🙄

CrashGordon wrote:

😳 Aren't you just a wee bit low?

I was thinking exactly the same thing! 😉

There's a fence that is before the runway. I think he took it with him.

CT, it isn't an aircraft carrier and a 747 doesn't have a tail hook. 😂

CT, it isn't an aircraft carrier

It isn't??? 😳

st maarten airport is amazing, the sunset bar is where to watch the planes landing with the comfort of a presidente beer, from a scotsman that is praise for the view and the beer

My family has owned a condo for the past 18 years ( I was just there March 9th-21st) in the building behind the planes as they land. It is the real deal. On our first visit, in late fall of 1989, President Bush and President Mitterand of France met on the island. The old AF1 AND the Air France Concorde BOTH landed there, complete with helicopter escort and AF1 decoy........I have pics of both that sadly got left at a friend's house out of state and haven't been found yet. But, those facts are easy to verify if you don't want to believe me. If you are on the island, you can see a pic of the Pres. eating at Poulet d'Orleans restaurant during the visit.

The thing that cracks me up here is that some of you dunces think it is all fake.........very surprising since PJIA is one of the most famous airports in the world for planespotting-and whoever said they don't allow sunbathing in the approach is just plain ignorant. They only have signs warning against the blast danger, but that stops no one. In addition, to the person who claimed they land on the low end and take off downhill, that is just plain wrong too. They only land from one direction-from the sea, and 90% of the time, they take off in the same direction-over the mountain! So if they land on the low end, and take off the same way, then according to your brilliant deduction, they'd be taking off UPHILL. Occassionally, when the wind is light, some will opt to take off over the ocean (my own departing flight did so this year) but that is not the norm at all.

The "dunces" think it is fake because they can't imagine any place so willing to put greed for the tourist dollar so far ahead of public safety.

As far as staying near the airport. No thanks, I'll put a few hills between the airport and me and hang out over in Little Bay.

Oh yes, I guess I was lucky when I was there. Didn't have to fly out over the mountain.

it seems so real that i thought it was doctored, but the people are all looking at it. it looks like the landing gear could take the head off of a tall person

I am a Pilot with a major US carrier. I just got back from my first trip to St. Maarten, the photos above are for real, they do not close the beach, and you should see the idiots that stand on the beach right behind the 747's when they get ready for take off. They get blown right down the sand into the water! With 100 mph+ sand blasting them in the face! Morons!

There is a bar off to the side of the runway where you can sit and drink while wathing these landings and the fools lining up on the beach for the take offs!

I loved the place, I'm going back as soon as I can.

I doubt if Air Force One ever goes in there.

Capt. Boy,

Cool! Its great having real pilots on this forum. What kinda plane do you fly? Who do you fly for?

terrorists could easily do some harm to a plane from on the beach.so my suggestion is that air force one comes in at a certain part of the day

cerberus wrote:

im no airfiled geek or owt like tht but the pics on the 1st page of this topic, of st maarten, are all wrong, some of them have a road between the beach and the fence and some dont, im gussing tht only one end of the runway has a beach at the end, can anyone guide me on this?

they are real but some pics are 7 years old! but there all taken from the beach because that hotel is there

Anonymous wrote:

why would air force one land at st. maarten?

probly to get some gas

Hi guys, all those pics are real, they have been taken at the Sunset beach bar in St.Maarten... Go check out their website at www.sunsetbeachbar.com and no, they are not closing the beach, you can actually stand right at the fence 20 foots from the runway and get a wonderfull jet blast when planes are taking of.... Enjoy

St.Maarten VIP GUIDE

And they will keep on doing that until the first plane screws up and takes out everyone on the beach.

im very very very VERY! surprised the F.A.A. has nothing to say about this. 😳

JarJarBinks wrote:

im very very very VERY! surprised the F.A.A. has nothing to say about this. 😳

It's been operating as a civilian airprt since 1943, prior to that is was a small military base.

The island is half French and half Dutch and will be goverened by EASA. So the FAA doesn't really have any say over it's operation but I guess they have been happy with it for the past 63 years. If it's good enough for the US President and other country's heads of state to fly into then it must be safe.

Believe me As someone who lived there for 7 years this pic is very real The planes take off in this same direction and ive seen foolish tourists standing taking pictures right behind the plane being blown into the water from the jet engines back wash. Cars have also been blown over before. I remember one time the airplane came in to low and the wheels caught the fence and dragged it down the runway

ive lived there for 2 years. i did the hanging on the fence routine while a 747-400 was taking off. it is a real rush. i tried it on the beach, but the sand blast is so painful that its almost a reflex to start running into the water. suprising, the "safest" way to do this is to go closer and hang on the fence. it only hot air while doing that with no sand.

that road goes to an area of the island called beacon hill. its all residential and thats the only road in and out of there. as far as tourists, about 5 years ago somebody parked their little rental hyundi atos right behind the jet blast to get a close look. the small car tipped over and rolled. since then, they narrowed the road and put a giant concrete divider in the middle to prevent anybody from parking their car there.

Reminds me of the airport on CORFU, they have to shut a road off when there is a takeoff. 😎

Well yes, but who is going to close that beach, and many will say why!, when something terrible happens they will do something mean wile, nothing is going to change unfortunately. 😕
Beautiful beach by the way!

That is for real and it's so awesome. I've been there before and I stayed at the Royal Islander hotel, which is right next to the airport. You can stand on the beach and watch the huge jets go right over your head. Also when planes take off, the start at the beach end and go the other way, blowing all the wind off the beach. You can stand behind the taking-off planes and get blasted by it, or hold on the fence. With the really big planes like Air France or KLM it hurts a little. Hope this was informative and I hope you go to St. Maarten sometimes.

TommySeibold wrote:

Also when planes take off, the start at the beach end and go the other way, blowing all the wind off the beach. You can stand behind the taking-off planes and get blasted by it, or hold on the fence. With the really big planes like Air France or KLM it hurts a little.

Wow, I gotta get there.

i know this topic is a few weeks old but i think u should see this video:

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-1208113432572686065&q=jet

Anonymous wrote:

i know this topic is a few weeks old but i think u should see this video:

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-1208113432572686065&q=jet

Wish I had been there to feel that 😳 .

my freind ahve been there its real i m goin there 2

This is for real as i am a pilot and i land there frequently.

rustyporsche wrote:

This is for real as i am a pilot and i land there frequently.

Good one 👍

I am a native St. Maartener and can assure all the doubters out there that those photos and videos are legit. Although it is an everyday thing for us locals, it never gets old... AND the tourists absolutely love it.

Right now the new airport is being built and I hope that part will not be changed. It would be a shame after all these years. It is a very cool thing to experience.

If you are still in doubt, well, I guess you will have to visit sometime and find out for yourself, hehe... Now that is St.Maarten of the Netherlands Antilles at Princess Juliana airport.

👍 Food, Carnival, Summer weather @ Christmas time.
😳 Service at banks is very slow...

There is more but you will have to find out for yourself. Enjoy your stay if you visit!

I am a native St. Maartener and can assure all the doubters out there that those photos and videos are legit. Although it is an everyday thing for us locals, it never gets old... AND the tourists absolutely love it.

Right now the new airport is being built and I hope that part will not be changed. It would be a shame after all these years. It is a very cool thing to experience.

If you are still in doubt, well, I guess you will have to visit sometime and find out for yourself, hehe... Now that is St.Maarten of the Netherlands Antilles at Princess Juliana airport.

👍 Food, Carnival, Summer weather @ Christmas time.
😳 Service at banks is very slow...

There is more but you will have to find out for yourself. Enjoy your stay if you visit!

To all the ppl who posted the pics and made the vids, thanks, they are great to see for those of us who are away from home.

check out www.flightlevel350.com for great videos of landings on St. Marrten[/url]

tomthetank wrote:

2 sites for you 1st airport info and the 2nd some pics 👍

http://www.world-airport-codes.com/guadeloupe/st.-maarten-juliana-7088.html

http://l1011.homestead.com/smx.html

😛 😛 😛 😛 🙄

Google St Maarten Airport and there some videos there.

Of course it's real and really scary. Its the island of St Maarten, not a SIM. I travel there Jan 27, 2007. Not looking forward to this scary landing. I will though go take some of these shots. AWESOME!!

I was at the Sunset Beach Bar this afternoon when a 747 landed. Then got sandblasted and nearly knocked when a 757 took off. Going back tomorrow!

anon wrote:

I was at the Sunset Beach Bar this afternoon when a 747 landed. Then got sandblasted and nearly knocked when a 757 took off. Going back tomorrow!

You like sand blowing in your face, ha?! 😉

😂
This airport was so surreal, I would sit on the beach and watch all the crazy people hang on to the fence for dear life while the planes took off. Often people would get blown into the sea by the force of the jetstream, then they go back and do it again!
The pilots must love it as they can see all the people watchin and cheering them, its like a big show n shine drag strip but for planes!
I think it sets the whole vibe of the Island..;fun and wild!!
I'm saving some cash so I can come straight back,
Big ones to everyone at the Sunset beach bar!! x

i was just there this past weekend....it's real all right....pretty amazing to see....there is a sign there that disclaims death.....so view at your own risk...lol

😀 i have been going to sxm for about 10 years now, going next week and let me tell you that it is an amazing sight to see those airplanes landing, no matter how many times you watch you will never get sick of it. As a commercial pilot in training its amazing to watch them land, especially the klm 747!!

I just made a LOT of screenshots of St Maarten and I uploaded them! You can see them by going to the screenshot gallery and click on FS2004 screenshots!

Old thread is old.

We have just featured this airport in our latest editorial:
https://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4435/