Airplane - Princess Juliana International Airport (St. Maarten Airport)

In the middle of the northeast Caribbean Sea is an island called Saint Martin. Located around 300 kilometers east of Puerto Rico, the sea island measures 87 square kilometers and is divided into French and Dutch territories. This division dates all the way back to 1648. It is one of the smallest islands divided between two nations.

The northern part of the island is an overseas collectivity of France. The French calls it the Collectivite de
Saint-Martin. The southern end, called Saint Maarten, is one of the four constituent countries that form the Netherlands. It is on the Dutch southern side that the Princess Juliana International Airport, the island’s main airport, is located.

The History Channel program called “Most Extreme Airports” ranks Princess Juliana International Airport as the fourth most dangerous airport in the world because of its approach over water and the mountains that are in the path of departing planes.

It is also the featured airport in the free version of the game called “Microsoft Flight Simulator X.” It is also the destination of the same game’s mission called “Caribbean Landing.”

Airport Features

Princess Juliana International Airport is a favorite among planespotters around the world because of its unique, albeit dangerous, approaches featuring low-altitude flyovers over the beach and the shore. Arriving pilots have complained of disorientation because of the approach over water. Planes follow a glide slope of three degrees while flying low over the island’s renowned Maho Beach. This problem, however, is easily solved through normal instrument checks, awareness of the situation and experience. The departure also presents some problems, as pilots need to turn almost immediately because of the mountains in the straight path. Still, there really have been no major incidents recorded in the airport.

When you stand at the beach during a take off phase, you literally feel sandblasted and who is careless or reckless, will soon find himself a few meters back or even blasted into the sea (this really happens). Some guys try to "surf" the exhaust gas stream while hanging at the airport fence as seen in the video.

Accidents and incidents

Although the airport is as close to the beach as it is, there have only been 2 major accidents.

• 2 May 1970 – ALM Flight 980, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9CF crashed into the ocean in bad weather killing 22 of the 57 passengers in addition to one crew member. The cause was found to be fuel exhaustion due to several attempts to land the aircraft. The aircraft was not recovered. 

• 21 December 1972 – A De Havilland Canada Twin Otter operated by Air Guadeloupe on behalf of Air France crashed at night into the ocean near Sint Maarten en route from Guadeloupe, killing all 11 passengers on board along with both pilots. 

it's really impressive to watch large passenger jets like the 747 are landing or taking off at the airport, only a few meters away from your