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

insane....

A little so he will see it when he gets on, I cant imagine him missing a post regarding flying

I've never landed at St. Maarten. That place is more of a thrill for the folks on the ground than the pilots. I used to land at the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. That place had you almost flying between the apartment buildings on final approach. I swear if you looked you could almost see inside the buildings. Although you had better be looking at the runway and not much else! Years ago I used to fly the mail to Catalina but thats another story.
Cheer, Elliot

airliners.net has some great pics of the Hong Kong approach and other airports

You know you have to get low to land...

This is from the other side in the building in the background of the first pic.

You think the pilot waves at the topless chicks on the beach?

I flew out of there into an even tighter airport at St. Bart's. Just friggin' ridiculous. Come swoopin over some low ass mountains, and then a road, then come to a screaming halt just feet from the ocean, in a twin engine puddle jumper. No fence, no road between you and water, just 30 feet of sand. Take off is even more fun. Sit at the far end of runway, brakes jammed on, like you're doing a burn out, 'pilot' has got both engines at readline, EVERYTHING is shaking, then BOOM, you're off. Pretty damn cool.

Look at that 3th car back in the last picture. I bet he has to wait untill the 747's land before he can drive that road. A 747 would blow is little butt into the water!

Paul

Yep those were some of the pictures I was thinking of.


I flew into one of the small islands off Grenada a few yrs ago. Came over the mountain to check the landing field (to see if any animals were on it), then back over the mountain and land heading out to the ocean. Run out of runway you get wet.

The pilot asked after the landing if we were ok. I told her flying in a float plane was worse. You have to check the water for moose and logs before landing. If you run out of water landing or taking off the, trees slow you down.

Hi, my name is Elliot and I am your Captain on this flight...BTW I drive a rusty 914 POS for fun.....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh run away......

Fun is landing on an aircraft carrier, and taking off from one. That leaves your lunch in strange places when you are stopped.
CCLINCATAPULTCREW

Carrier landings....aren't those "controlled crashes"?

You are absoulutely correct, as is so aptly displayed here. Notice that the pilot is calm and relaxed. At least he is dry, meaning not in the water.
CCLINUSSHANCOCKCVA19

Looks like "W"s Dad.....ain't that John Kerry' Uncle in the corner holding a hangnail and filling out an application for another Purple Heart?

QUOTE (Elliot Cannon @ Apr 12 2005, 01:13 AM)

Years ago I used to fly the mail to Catalina but thats another story. Cheer, Elliot

Ever lock up the brakes at Catalina 'cause you thought you were outta runway?

Ever start your roll in the clear and wind up in the fog at the other end of the runway?

Catalina...Airport in the Sky, where the runway comes up to greet you.

That's W in the pilots seat, "I am here to make an announcement that this Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly out of Ronald Reagan Airport"
CCLIN

Well, here is what happens when the pilot is watching the girls on the beach instead of his approach.

Someday I'll find my pix of the runway at Lima Site 31 in Laos. Runway was uphill, and there was this BIG freakin' rock at the upper end. Like 600 feet high, with black and white diagonal stripes painted on it, just in case you didn't notice it on your approach. I was in a HH53 when I went there, but I saw fixed wing aircraft land as well ...................... The Cap'n

I saw a video somewhere of a big jet on a runway similar to that, revving up the engines for takeoff. People on the beach were getting blown into the water, and the water was getting blown into the air. Amazing power!

QUOTE (skline @ Apr 12 2005, 01:03 PM)

Well, here is what happens when the pilot is watching the girls on the beach instead of his approach.

If what he was watching was the beach scrounger on the bottom of the pics...the guy was pickled and/or blind....

QUOTE ("Z" @ Apr 12 2005, 07:12 AM)

Hi, my name is Elliot and I am your Captain on this flight...BTW I drive a rusty 914 POS for fun.....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh run away......

I don't have to do cabin announcements. I haul boxes for the brown shirt Freight Nazis. Nobody back there to complain. No pain-in-the-ass passengers or flight attendants. The best part is I get to go to exotic places like Guangzhou, Peoples Republic of China which is where this message is coming from.
Cheers, Captain Cannon

So I guess inflight hummers are out the questions, huh?

Nice pics and so I am prepared when I go there next year. Monique has a ton of relatives that live in St.Maarten and its supposed to be really nice there.

Can't wait for that landing!

Kinda like the one I made going to Suriname, where you fly almost into the jungle before they hit the WW2 vintage runway.

Geoff

QUOTE ("Z" @ Apr 13 2005, 06:26 PM)

So I guess inflight hummers are out the questions, huh?

I had a great Hummer in the back of the airplane once. We dropped it off for some rich sheik in Dubai.
Elliot