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Woman blown over by plane at SXM

KirkWN737

By KirkWN737,
in St. Martin/St. Maarten

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KirkWN737

KirkWN737

Posted
Posted

I know this is a regular occurrence at SXM. It's one of my favorite things in St. Maarten. The last time I was there, we spent the entire day at Maho Beach. Just be careful, or this may happen to you. This was just an Airbus A321 (smaller jet) but the 747 jet blast can blow over busses.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/woman-blown-over-by-jet-p_n_1411870.html

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CruisingMouse

CruisingMouse

Posted
Posted
I know this is a regular occurrence at SXM. It's one of my favorite things in St. Maarten. The last time I was there, we spent the entire day at Maho Beach. Just be careful, or this may happen to you. This was just an Airbus A321 (smaller jet) but the 747 jet blast can blow over busses.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/woman-blown-over-by-jet-p_n_1411870.html

 

 

OMG that's gotta hurt!

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mitsugirly Great Review Rare

mitsugirly

Posted
Posted

The day we were there we weren't even directly behind it or up by the fence and the sand blasting your skin was terrible. I can't imagine being up by the fence, but there was plenty of people doing it.

 

We did witness several people blown into the water as well.

 

I hate that wall. I broke my hand on that wall the day we were there. :rolleyes:

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leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

Posted
Posted
Apparently she is ok as reported this morning. As Forest Gump said

"stupid is as stupied does.":D

 

Thank goodness she is OK but exactly what did she (or anyone) think the outcome would be!!! "Stupid is as stupid does" doesn't quite begin to describe this. Surprised no one has tried to wind surf or parasail off the beach behind a jet. Oops. there I go giving new ideas to the mindless!

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KirkWN737

KirkWN737

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  • Author
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Surprised no one has tried to wind surf or parasail off the beach behind a jet. Oops. there I go giving new ideas to the mindless!

 

From a pilot's perspective, I would guess that one couldn't parasail or windsurf behind the jets due to the approach pattern of the airplanes. Your parasail would be dragged along with the plane that would be landing. Plane vs. boat. I think the plane would win. LOL

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leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

Posted
Posted
From a pilot's perspective, I would guess that one couldn't parasail or windsurf behind the jets due to the approach pattern of the airplanes. Your parasail would be dragged along with the plane that would be landing. Plane vs. boat. I think the plane would win. LOL

 

You've got it in reverse. Meant it as the plane is taking off and the jet blast - as with that which tossed the girl like a ragdoll backeards into the wall - would blast the parasailer off the beach over the ocean. But either way someone will surely be stupid enough to try it!

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bwellen

bwellen

Posted
Posted
Also, I noticed in the video, they have removed all of the huge rocks that they had put down years ago to help with the erosion? Those rocks were dangerous. Anyone been here recently?

 

The rocks are still there, they are just covered by the sand. I would guess that you were at the beach sometime in fall or early winter. The waves are more strong that time of year and the sand errodes away and exposes the rocks. When the surf calms down, the sand if brought slowly back up to the beach and the rocks are covered again. Nature at work.

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mitsugirly Great Review Rare

mitsugirly

Posted
Posted
The rocks are still there, they are just covered by the sand. I would guess that you were at the beach sometime in fall or early winter. The waves are more strong that time of year and the sand errodes away and exposes the rocks. When the surf calms down, the sand if brought slowly back up to the beach and the rocks are covered again. Nature at work.

 

Oh wow. I didn't realize that. I was there in September and it was nothing but rocks. They were very hard to walk on and I hated that part. It's weird to see it with all sand. :eek:

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♦ComeSailAway♦

♦ComeSailAway♦

Posted
Posted

Concrete Errosion blocks- Thats 1950's technology--- Those dividers are a huge danger...Just fix it and have people get blown across the road and on to the sand- Simple.. LOL

Don't stand by the fence..!! :confused:

Relax → and watch 'em Land On Your Head..!! & DUCK..!!!!

 

see here, from Jan 2012 ►

;)

154171122_KLM747overhead_0001.jpg.516a534115e0a48cd8aeadb790045619.jpg

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Karysa

Karysa

Posted
Posted
Concrete Errosion blocks- Thats 1950's technology--- Those dividers are a huge danger...Just fix it and have people get blown across the road and on to the sand- Simple.. LOL

Don't stand by the fence..!! :confused:

Relax → and watch 'em Land On Your Head..!! & DUCK..!!!!

 

see here' date=' from Jan 2012 ►[/b']

;)

 

There is a road between the beach and the airport fence. I think that the cement barriers help prevent sand and water from entering the road and maybe even the airport runway. If one can't figure out that standing behind a jet at take-off is dangerous on their own, they can just look at the signs warning about this. Your idea would encourage a practice that is unsafe and discouraged. Even sand blown into the eyes especially at that force is unsafe never mind being blown into the path of a stopped or moving vehicle or another person, with or without a concrete barrier. Just a bad practice anyway you look at it IMO.

And some people don't need encouragement! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
kayehall

kayehall

Posted
Posted

Hey, I we be visiting Maho in November to watch the planes. But safely from a bar!!! I see you fly for Southwest. I have a long lost friend that I understand also flys for Southwest. I think he is Cleveland based. He used to be one of my pilots on the CV-580. I always called him GregBob. His name is Greg Hamilton and if you cross his path, please tell him Kaye said "hi"....Blue Skies, Kaye :p

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Rob & Beckys mom

Rob & Beckys mom

Posted
Posted
100% correct.

 

gary

 

Hi Gary,

Sorry to hijack this thread, but we are staying at L'Hoste on Orient beach for the second time. We found a great grocery store on the Dutch side that had a lot of "American" type food. Can you give us a store name & directions from the airport? Maybe grand marche? Not sure, tho.

 

Jan

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kal

kal

Posted
Posted

It's a combination of Hurricane force winds, being sand blasted, very hot jet exhaust gas, and oily gas from the exhaust.

 

You can sit at the bar for a few hours and will always see somebody get blown, head over heels, into the ocean. In most instances the person has a camera in their hands.

 

It's really nasty when an unsuspecting automobile drives on the road just as the jet powers up for take off. Not a pretty sight!

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aimodels

aimodels

Posted
Posted

I'm one of those crazy people who "surfed the fence" and also stood on the beach in the jet wash with my video camera rolling. I weigh 200 lbs and I still had to lean hard into it to keep from getting blown over...

 

I wouldn't do it all the time, but had to try it a couple of times just to experience it, and to cross it off my bucket list.

 

I don't know if I'd be brave enough to try it with a 747 - the wash from an MD80 was bad enough...

 

Standing under the planes watching them come in is a bit intimidating, but no scarier than my morning commute every day...

 

Here are some videos I shot of planes taking off and landing at SXM.

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/StinkyPete66?ob=0

 

Cheers, P:)

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