Boeing 747-406 - KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines | Aviation Photo #1078774

Anonymous

17 years ago

Amazing to see the sand that it blows up, and the reaction of the people. Must be the only beach in the world where "wind in your hair" has a meaning entirely of its own.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Good shot. Look at the sand and the water being stirred up by the jetwash.
To see this extremely low pass from another angle, see <a href=https://www.airliners.net/open.file/1078027/L>this</a> one!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Hmmm...it's deja vu all over again. Nice to see this shot in contrast to the other photo.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Fantastic Stuff!!

Lee

Anonymous

17 years ago

Good to have to angels out of the same situation, lycky that you got this special evnt, hope it is unusual.

Anonymous

17 years ago

The Captain was probably retiring in a week and knew that it took the screeners 2 weeks to get a picture put up so he thought he would put on a show.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Amazing stuff

Anonymous

17 years ago

I've been there for a 747 landing at its normal touchdown point and it feels like its going to hit you, I can't imagine what those people hugging the fence at the far end of the photo must have felt!

Anonymous

17 years ago

I know anonymity is one of the great advantages of a.net and other web forums, but I am sure if anyone knows who the crew were on this sector, they would be mightily happy to receive copies of these pics !

Anonymous

17 years ago

Excellent picture, crazy landing...

Anonymous

17 years ago

James: Congrats on a works of art photo. Did you and Chris realize that you too had taken part in this event but from a different angle? I hope that everyone is o.k. I'm surprised that the heavy made it throgh this soft overun area. Thank you so much for sharing BRO. MCY

Anonymous

17 years ago

TNCM is heaven for flightspotters and hell for people who are trying to keep their mouths free from a ton of sand:P

Anonymous

17 years ago

WOW!!! I bet that was one low approach over the Beach!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Great picture for a great landing: funny to see how the sand is blown! Itmust be very impressive...
Is there a policeman who stopped the traffic while the plane was landing? Or are those cars just parked?

Anonymous

17 years ago

Great capture from another angle! Now that's massive!

Anonymous

17 years ago

That pilot certainly gave them the show they came to see.

Anonymous

17 years ago

5*! Have a look at the sand!!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Way too cool!!

Anonymous

17 years ago

This has to be the BEST picture I have ever seen!! Right place, right time, great work!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Is there a better spotting point than the beach at SXM?

Anonymous

17 years ago

Safe to say I'd be changing my shorts after that. Great capture.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Imagine how the pilots felt!

Anonymous

17 years ago

It even is blowing some sand to the water. Some fellows had to duck close to the fence. T.B.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Great Landing!!1 Flight crew could not have landing any shorter without getting the tail wet.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Great Shot!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Hello,

you just had another position to take a picture from this "too short" landing as posted here: https://www.airliners.net/open.file/1078027/M/
But I guess you both shot the picture within the same second....

Anonymous

17 years ago

Wow! Awesome shot! Never seen a shot from this angle at Princess Juliana Airport! :)

Anonymous

17 years ago

What an early touch down! I bet the beachgoers were pretty shocked to say the least. Wonder what the pilot was thinking, perhaps he saw a pretty babe on the beach and wanted a closer look ;)

Anonymous

17 years ago

Absolutley breath taking. Nothing like having sand shot up every orpherus in your body. Thats some serious exfoliation.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Great photo

Anonymous

17 years ago

St. Maarten never fails to amaze! It is so impressive and scary to see that just beyond the runway the sand is still blowing onto people standing at the beach. They are probably getting the whipping of their lives!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Best of the best very low very thrilling. look at sand how how its blown away. very nice shot good job.

Anonymous

17 years ago

I'd love to be there at that precise moment!!
What a feeling to be at the fence under that giant passing so close!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Le Clipper of the fence.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Of all the SXM photos, this one really captures the essense of the beach and the airport.

Anonymous

17 years ago

A quick peek at SXM on Google Earth gives some idea of just how abnormal this landing is. As my 4 year old would say, "busted!"

Anonymous

17 years ago

OMG, beautiful picture!

Anonymous

17 years ago

10 Stars!

Anonymous

17 years ago

I measured the distance from the fence to the touchdown point with Google Earth: 40 meters only!!

Anonymous

17 years ago

The photo shows it all, the people the homes that surround the airport, and the beach and water. and most of all the the plane the plane. what a great photo. it shows all the detail. louie

Anonymous

17 years ago

Amazing, you can really see the scale of the cars and people contrasting with the plane.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Nice shot just about to touchdown on flareheight

Anonymous

17 years ago

Beautiful perspective!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Superb!!!!! Best shot ever.

Anonymous

17 years ago

It's simply amazing to see the Jumbo in action so close to people ,moreover in one of its best perspective and with a blue harmony between the KLM livery and the sea and...well 5 stars!

Anonymous

17 years ago

I have always enjoyed a little bit of jet wash while enjoying a few cold ones at the beach.

What a view!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Fab shot@

Anonymous

17 years ago

Photos like this should win awards.

Anonymous

17 years ago

Beautiful shot!!!!

Anonymous

17 years ago

The best photo of St Martin

Anonymous

17 years ago

Perfect angle, perfect approach, perfect situation... Amazing!!!

Anonymous

17 years ago

OMG!! What an awesome pic. It is truly amazing the size of this mammoth!! It must have been amazing to see. I am speechless, I, I wish I was there. To bad there's only 5 stars, I could have given you 1000 stars. What a sight. Now, if only an A380 could do that in Maho Beach I would be going bonkers!! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to change my shorts.

Evan (12)
Winnipeg, Canada

Anonymous

17 years ago

This HAS to be my next year's honeymoon destination!! Who says you need anything else but the approach sceneries ;)

Anonymous

17 years ago

I have so many thing i would like say about this picture. First, i love how the wing is flexing just before touch down. Also, if you look a little bit behind the aircraft you can see the people on the beach are getting a BIG SANSTORM by the massive engines as well as the surface of the ocean is getting a blast of its own. And finally, i can just stare at this aircraft all day; it is just so big.

Great Job

Anonymous

17 years ago

Clapping for those people who can stay under this massive jet 747. they blew up with jet thrust and again they wanted to stay there.... perfect feeling

Anonymous

17 years ago

I just LOVE these close encounters at Princess Juliana, SXM. James has captured a fantastic picture of KLM's big bird on touchdown. How many brave A.netters would have stood on beach directly underneath this beauty? Personally it would be a bit too close for me, I think I would be standing to the side. Definitely a 5 star photo and I am adding it to my album. Thanks James. :-)

Anonymous

17 years ago

......some hairy pubic hair was frightened!!...

Anonymous

17 years ago

Super!

Anonymous

17 years ago

Perfect picture!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice photo. The beach people really help give the scale of the size of the plane.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great shot! to the capt: what happened to touching down at the 1000' markers?

Anonymous

16 years ago

By gally, compleeetly nuts !!! I can't trust my eyes !!! Unbelieveble !

Anonymous

16 years ago

This picture nearly made me wee myself!!! how amazing, its one of the best shots I have seen.
The sheer magnificance of the plane, and the fact it looks close enough to touch.
Its scary and fantastic at the same time, I know where I will be booking for my holidays next year!!!!

Nicki

Anonymous

16 years ago

Just great man just great!!!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Very good picture. But I wonder if it isn't a little dangerous for the people on the beach to stand so close to the jetwash (although engines should be on idle at this state of landing, don't they?)

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great picture! Ilove the Princess Juliana Airport! =) The Boeing 747 rocks!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

It is a nice airplane.It has a nice background.It is a nice 747-406.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Massive landing

Anonymous

16 years ago

I don't know about praising the crew, as that was blatantly (and surely dangerously) short. I wonder if KLM flight crew management has taken a look at this and invited the crew in for a little chat??

Anonymous

16 years ago

Amazing shot! Great job capturing both the sand blast and the extra chop in the waves coming in toward the beach.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Super! If it can i will give you 6 stars!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice photo !! i want more

Anonymous

16 years ago

How about that??? This is really something!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

2 Reds/2 Whites???? I dont think so somehow.

Anonymous

16 years ago

What a shot!!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Super foto

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is an exceptional shot!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great shot ;)

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great shot for a great bird.

Anonymous

16 years ago

By the looks of it,i would absoulutly adore going to SXM. the planes going over the top are massive with a capital M

Anonymous

16 years ago

THIS PICTURE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

A 747 in old KLM colors! Truly a great picture!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Down to early but its a great pic!sad I wasnt there when it come into the runway like that!

Anonymous

16 years ago

What a machine!!!!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Sharp! interesting, and worth viewing.

Anonymous

16 years ago

It's a great picture in action. We can imagine the sensation been above the fan on the shore.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Cool picture showing this huge 747 and people around like ants. Good quality of the pic and good camera position to take it. 5 stars.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Check out that mini sand storm from the jet wash!

Anonymous

15 years ago

One of the most interesting photos on Airliners.net and worthy of more than 5 stars. I'd be willing to bet the pilot and co-pilot had to change uniforms after that landing.

Anonymous

15 years ago

Clearly shows impact of jetwash on hairless apes

Anonymous

15 years ago

Grips of skips

Anonymous

15 years ago

Luck Guy! At the right place, at the right time. Congratulations!

Anonymous

15 years ago

Absolutely beautiful picture! Pity they can't fill in the bay at the other end of the runway, to provision for the A380. When you look at the Google Earth overview, you can see that actually this chap would be getting a black mark in the log book - for almost missing the runway and flying onto tarmac not structually supported. Nice pic though :)

Anonymous

15 years ago

I love the KLM 774's, I've flown in Foxtrot Golf about three times and it's such a lovely aircraft. I like the old KLM livery and I think it's the only plane in the old colours. Great picture, but a very dangerous landing!

Anonymous

15 years ago

Beautiful moment in time captured here.

Anonymous

15 years ago

Did you know there is another picture of this same aircraft picture. except,in the other photo, the plane is five feet back from where it is right now...

Anonymous

15 years ago

They are probably doing about a 100 knots on final... that is 51 meters (168 feet) per second! Even at 80 kts its still 41 m/sec (135 ft/sec).
By the time the front wheels of that main gear only touch the tarmac he is on the "structually supported" part! Think about it, the whole weight ouf that plane does not plunge within a few meters onto the runway... great shot!

Anonymous

15 years ago

WOW- you got just the moment before touchdown -GREAT!! (England)

Anonymous

15 years ago

Hahahaha... those guys in the beach experienced a sandstorm! KLM 747 are just great... absoulutely nice shot. I hope i could go there in Maho so exciting and beautiful.

Anonymous

14 years ago

Great Picture. For the guy who said that it is going 100 knots on final, you need to check your facts, he is going 150-180 knots depending on the aircraft loading.

Anonymous

14 years ago

Realy excellent shot!!!

Anonymous

14 years ago

Wow that is pretty much all I can say. The setting was perfect the quality was good and overall the pure mindblowing quality of the shot. you are one of the luckiest guys in the world and your shot definatly earned a 5 star rating from me.

Anonymous

14 years ago

Simply Amazing!

Anonymous

14 years ago

Wing flex, a little left rudder, and a super early touchdown probably mean he had a decent fight with the wind coming down. Great capture.

Anonymous

14 years ago

The guys on the beach are being hit with sand after that low approach.

Anonymous

14 years ago

A W E S O M E
S H O T !

Anonymous

14 years ago

Outstanding Photo

Anonymous

14 years ago

Big bum

Anonymous

14 years ago

Aren't u supposed to touch down after the threshold

Anonymous

14 years ago

It's so weird to see a huge aircraft on just a few wheals, almost like tip toes. Great photo!

Anonymous

13 years ago

747 stars! A once-in-your-career approach!

Anonymous

13 years ago

Someones gonna get yelled at!!

Anonymous

13 years ago

In our gliding club landing in front of the threshold costs one box of beer. ;)

Anonymous

13 years ago

Classic st maarten. KLM stands for Know that im Low Man!

Anonymous

13 years ago

How cloce it is to thebeach and the detail on the plane is excellent its a experience you would never forget.

Anonymous

13 years ago

Must of got hit by a downdraft.

Anonymous

13 years ago

The aircraft should touch down on the landing strip after the starting point of runway . great pic

Anonymous

13 years ago

Good

Anonymous

13 years ago

The landing speed of the 747 is much greater than 100 knots. It varries greatly due to weight of the aircraft on final approach. Anywhere from 130-160 knots is normal.

Anonymous

12 years ago

Dont think he made it past the displaced threshold,, if he did then, very nicely done

Anonymous

12 years ago

Those KLM guys are nuts!

Anonymous

12 years ago

DANG! :D I need to go hang at that beach!

Anonymous

12 years ago

Anyway, It's happens! Nice Picture! doublec MW

Anonymous

12 years ago

This is one of the best photos I've seen from SXM. I would surely like to go there sometime and see something like this "in person" :). Thumbs up!

Anonymous

11 years ago

Just Incredible!

Anonymous

11 years ago

Wow

Anonymous

11 years ago

Ooooooh !

Anonymous

8 years ago

I always thought that arrowed part of runway was for use in takeoffs only because that part is not as strengthened as main runway to absorb hard landing blows.

Zoydian

Netherlands

6 years ago

MAJESTIC!!

vigia

1.2K Spain

3 years ago

Fantastic pic. Congratulations.

Adam748

Queensland, Australia

2 years ago

An incredible image! Thank you so much for sharing.

Aviation Photo #1078774 Boeing 747-406 - KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines

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