Hello,
I will be at St. Martin on August 29th (Wednesday) and I was wondering the best time to sit at Maho Beach and watch some large planes landing. Anyone know if the hours of 1:00 and 3:30 are good? Thanks

The bulk of the big boys come in around 12 PM to 4 PM so you'll see some but the best time of all to see them is at night. A pretty incredible site.

Check this site. Landings

As you can see from the aforementioned Landings link, it's pretty dead around the dinner hours of 6-9, for better or worse. I've been disappointed over the years because that's the timeframe when I'm ready to kick back, drink and watch the fun.

Oh well. I can still kick back and drink, anyway.

Just returned from SXM, lots of people standing around Maho at end of runway, cameras and video equipment.


Don't see what the big excitement of watching planes takeoff and land is. unless you've never seen a plane before, or maybe your a 12 year old.

Hey JR? you don't see the big excitement?? It's just like 4th of July fireworks-- spectacular and noisy--it's a testosterone thing -they rattle my chest just like those big bangers on the 4th----truthfully? I've been a 12 year old for over 60 years. I suppose that there are some plane watchers who have the NASCAR mentality of just waiting for a real spectacular--when one of those big babies hooks the fence--- others may injoy watching some idiot get blown into the bay from the jet blast during take off. And of course some women go to SSBB so they can drink free--and some men go to see them-- it's a testosterone thing---maybe you don't need a testosterone boost- but after being 12 years old for over 60 years-I certainly do--- chbpod

Ditto

We did stop there, but the only pic I got was an ATR72 on takeoff roll. We went earlier in the day, and it looks like the busy time is 2-4.

Me too. Watching planes from up close has always been fun to me.

Rick

Hi all,

I started the post, and have returned to thank all of you for great advice and website suggestions. What a great time, beautiful day, and WOW! the Airbus A340 was awesome, and I got great video footage. Also got jet blasted by a 737. Very unique experience, once in a lifetime for me. Hopefully I can return in the high season.

Take it easy! I'll check back often.

IMHO...the best view of TOs and landings at SXM air patch is from the balcony of Unit 707, 708 or 709 at the Towers....or the East side balconies of the 8th floor 'penthouse". As a retired pilot I'm not overly excited about it but I do get to sit and enjoy the wine, cheese and baguettes while the wife enjoys the near constant action at the airport by looking thru and over Mullet,Maho to the airport. You can almost draw a stright line from the Towers thru Cheri's and the Casino Royale to the arrival end of the runway...pretty cool.

Spike,

I'm with you - we own 709 and my husband could sit out on that balcony by the hour and watch those big planes come and go.

Truth be known, however, we still enjoy going down to the Maho Sonesta Hotel beach area at night and watching that last big plane of the evening come in.

It's incredible to spot it as just a speck in that inky black evening sky among all those twinkling stars and then to watch as the red and green lights twinkle in the sky. And OMG, how incredible it is to see that main landing light come on and cast a glistening glow over the water when it comes in just before clearing the fence and touching down on the runway at PJIA.

This is the very best of the best in the line of airplane watching in my personal opinion.

Respectfully,

pat
:-) :-)