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02nd Nov 2016

WATCH: The most frightening airplane landing in the world will never be the same again

Conor Heneghan

The end of an era that was exhilarating for some and terrifying for others.

Princess Juliana International Airport, located on the Caribbean island of Saint Maarten, might not ring a bell with many travellers.

Anyone who has ever flown into it isn’t likely to have forgotten it in a hurry, however, home as it to possibly the most terrifying landing experience of any airport on Earth.

Frequent flyers who’ve visited many airports around the world may beg to differ, but for years, daredevils on Maho Beach, located practically at the end of the airport runway, have gathered to experience a rush from planes flying approximately 30 metres over their heads.

30 metres might sound like a safe distance on paper, but it’s a bit different when it’s a 747 plane, as opposed to say, a bird, flying over your heads.

If you’ve never seen it before, just have a look at this…

Clip via Bademeisterization

According to the Telegraph, last Friday, October 28, saw the last 747 ever to fly into the airport after KLM took the decision to use a A330-200 instead of a Boeing 747 on the route from Amsterdam Schipol to Saint Maarten in future.

The A330-200 is still but it’s still significantly smaller and lighter than the 747 and carries approximately 160 fewer passengers.

Thrillseekers that sought the significant wind rush on Maho Beach will still be able to do so, mind, under planes from the 26 airlines that serve the airport.

No doubt they’ll have to listen to schooled veterans telling them that, exciting as it probably still is, it’ll never quite compare to the 747.

Topics:

Airplane