Princess Juliana International Airport is the international airport of the Saint Martin which is located in Dutch Side. This Airport is famous for its short landing runway that causes the people an amazing experience. To know about this airport we must know about the Saint Martin island.
Saint Martin Island
Saint Martin is a beautiful island which is located in the norhteast caribbean, approximately 300 km (186 miles) east of Puerto Rico. The total area of the island is 87KM2 and it is divided and shared in the ratio of 60/40 between France and Netherlands. France took 53km2 which is in north side and Netherlands Antilles took 34KM2 which is in south side.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus embarked on his second voyage to the New World. According to legend, Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Martin on November 11, 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. In his honor, Columbus named the island San Martin. This name was translated to Sint Maarten (Dutch), Saint-Martin (French) and "Saint Martin" in English.
Princess Juliana International Airport
The island is served by many major airlines that includes large jet aircrafts, including Boeing 747s, Airbus A340s, and McDonnell Douglas MD-11s carrying tourists from across the world on a daily basis. The short length of the main runway at Princess Juliana International Airport, and its position between a large hill and a beach causes some spectacular approaches. This airport is famous for its short landing strip. That is only 2,180 meters/7,152 ft, which is barely enough for heavy jets. Because of this, the planes approach the island flying extremely low, right over Maho Beach.
Landings at this airport are unforgettable and frightening, especially if you happen to be on the beach. Out of the blue, beach-goers are likely to be surprised by a deafening sound and by powerful winds that shake the waters. At the same time, a colossal silhouette blocks the sun and passes through at only a few meters from the ground.
Some of the pics are given below.
Some of the videos are given below.
