St Maarten Planespotting (MANY MANY PHOTOS!)

[N75715]

Greeting New York Earthlings! Just thought I would say hello from spotter's paradise on Earth. Landed this afternoon from EWR at 12:56, was on the beach, with camera at 13:21. No lie. No checked baggage, so I was through customs and immigration in less than 5 minutes, and off to the rental car... Shot about 400 today alone. Have about 20 GB of memory with me. Should last me through Friday. Will post on Sat, 5 December evening when I return. Today, there were 5 takeoffs toward the beach, the aircraft climbing toward me, with the mountains in the background. Sweet, as this doesn't occur much around here. Also, of note, Rwy 9-27 has been re-named 10-28. hmmmmm.... the painters must get bored... Stay tuned for photo posts next week. Ciao!

Roman

[njgtr82]

Have a great trip Roman and looking foward to your shots

[N75715]

Thanks! I must add, since the winds were so fierce this morning in the NY area, we took off from 29 at EWR. Cool!

[N75715]

2 days, one 4GB memory card full. on to the second one tomorrow. 2 747's came in today. KLM and Corsair. Nice. you actually felt wake turbulence when they passed over. tomorrow will be relatively quiet, as Mondays are here. AA, DAL, and US - mostly 757's, although DAL brought in a 737-700 today.

[LGA777]

Will look forward to your shots. US actually brought in an A-319 (N750UW) after dark Saturday evening to replace a broken 757. Looks like all 3 US 757's where wingletted ETOPS birds Sunday.

If you are not aware currently US runs 1 757 Mon-Fri, 4 on Sat, and 3 on Sundays.

Have a fun, it's a great place.

Cheers

LGA777

[N75715]

ok. here is a start... just got in an hour ago... some familiar perspectives, some new ones.. enjoy!

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more to come as i upload....

[Iberia A340-600]

Great shots, I like the variation in angles! I'll be heading down to St. Marteen for two days in about a months time, can't wait. :)

[N75715]

let me know if you need any tips while you are out there... the whole different angle thing was what i was aiming for this time around. you cannot just shoot towards the hotels every time...

[N75715]

a few more that made the cut....

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night time at SXM
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[JBoulin94]

Absolutely STUNNING shots Roman!!

[Delta777LR]

Im totaly jealous dude!! those are some awesome shots.. It must be awesome taking shots of some bikini while spotting :lol: :borat:

[moose135]

Super shots, Roman! Really good work. I love those last two A330 shots, with the reversers deployed with the nose wheel still up in the air!

[N75715]

Thanks for the too kind words, guys! Really appreciate it! This has become my yearly pilgrimage now... A MUST for anyone into planes, beaches, bikinis, planes, planes, planes....! COA from EWR or AAL and JBU from JFK. non stop. no excuses!

and on that note.... a few more....

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great fuselage!
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Serg this one's for you. Delta and a bikini!
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this is what we see from the plane on approach...
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just how many people DO they let in the flight deck?? unreal!
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[flyboy 28]

Damn damn damn. Fantastic shots, Roman!

[hiss srq]

I litteraly have no words for your captures. None. You have captured for various reasons perhaps the most ultimate series of photographs in SXM or elsewhere that I have ever seen in my life. Hands down bar none. Ten million stars. Well done sir.

[Ychocky]

Well done. Great variation. The runway landing roll shots look like you're halfway up a tree!

Love ALL the fuselages ;) Very nice :borat:

Thank you for sharing. Now to convince the fiance! Cheaper than Australia!

[N75715]

Thank you again for the humbling words... one last batch. The rest...lol... can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/ghostrider2112 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghostrider2112). Enjoy!

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[engine46]

Great shots! Can any of you lucky people who have been to SXM suggest nice places to stay at?

Thanks!

[N75715]

Sure. The Sonesta Maho has reasonable rooms (150/night) and is walking distance to the famous beach. That is the hotel which is always in the background on those famous beach shots. Also in the center of Maho Plaza, Casino Royale, and a host of restaurants. Depends on how nice you want to get... There is the Flamingo in Simpson Bay, The Pelican, also in Simpson Bay. They are driving distance form the airport (about 8 minutes) and situated on the bay, which has a plethora of water activities (snorkeling, jet skis, sailing, etc.). Also, try visiting http://www.sxmtravelguide.com/ and http://www.wheretostay.com/caribbean/st ... arten.html (http://www.wheretostay.com/caribbean/stmartin/lodging-c248-St_MartinSt_Maarten.html)
Good luck!

[pedaa]

Awesome Shoots ... thanks for showing

[mattyry38]

Incredible work Roman! You're inspiring many of us to bite the bullet and book that ticket to sunny Maarten! (a lot more so than that awful movie Speed 2: Cruise Control :lol: )

Didn't see the inquiry earlier - what equipment are you shooting with? Seems like you could get away with as little as 75mm on the overhead shots, but some (the distant AA 738 reflection) could be 300+

Although it's only spotting the tiny Trans Anguilla BN-Islander, the Surf Shot you captured showcases the jaw-dropping reality that is Maho / SXM. If only we saw a few more heavies plowing down beach-goers 8) Also, I had never thought of the prime opportunities to shoot along White Sands Road and the beach along the southern length - good thinking.

*and these were definitely worthy of today's tweet :)

[N75715]

thanks much mattyry38.

i shoot with a Canon EOS 40D. I brought 3 lenses with me. You are correct. The overhead shots and the close beach passes were shot with an 18-55mm lens. That's it. Same with the landing side shots along the runway. (KLM, Corsair, Air France). Any bigger lens, you were just too close. Imagine that!
For most of the flight deck shots, pilots waving, inside of the engines, etc... I used a 70-200mm lens. Also for the takeoffs to the west (toward me and the beach), for that mountain background. For this reason, I never actually got a shot looking north of the plane climbing out from right to left, above the beach. (the opposite of them landing left to right above that beach.) the lens was too close. The results were that really close up Jet Blue nose from the first page, and a very reflective sunlit fuselage AFTER he passed me on this page.
the distant AA 738 was taken from approximately the point where he rotated, rather than way back from the beach. Thus, the clarity, lack of heat haze, etc.. this spot was a tip i received from a local.
as for the Trans Anguilla shot.. that was an extremely rough surf on Monday, 30 Nov. The water was running up the beach and into the road. I had hoped for that kind of composition with a jet, but that particular wave was perfect, and almost dwarfed the plane as it passed. Somehow, it worked out, since the wave was high, and he was low.

The White Sands Rd thing was my quest to get something different than all the thousands of same angle shots we have all seen from there. Sure, SXM is great, but enough shots with the Sonesta and Islander Club in the background. Unfortunately, shooting from the north doesn't work this time of year, due to the sun's position, (that's good in April, May, June), so I was forced to get creative from the south. Climb a tree here, a rock wall there, whatever it took. Also, meeting a St Maarten Coast Guard officer who was more than happy to share some secrets didn't hurt, either.

hope this sheds some light on your curiosity!

[eric8669]

Really Great shots!

I've been there 3 times, All these shots just makes me want to go back more.