Sorry I didn't get any photos, but we all watched the A340 from Paris scrap not one, but two landings today. The passengers must have been shooting bricks after the second failed landing. Third time was a charm and they landed without any issues in the end. The entire Karakter crowd applauded from the beach. I am sure they did up at Sunset as well. Glad they all arrived safely. Well done flight crew.

Yikes, that does sound scary!! I thought when our AA plane landed that the landing was real LONG, but can't imagine going around, especially with that mountain in front of you!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Big cross wind? Or first time landing for the captain? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

We have experienced abhorted landings a couple of times at SXM. Once because a small plane was still on the runway and second because of cross winds.

very strong cross winds since two days... today won't be better... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

When KLM use to bring that HUGE 747 jumbo in it would run to the end and sometime needed to be turned around! It was cool from the watch tower at Mary's Boone!!!!

KLM is still flying 747 to sxm and still needs to go up the end of the runway to turn around <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

We were on an American flight a few years ago and experienced this up close and personal.

The first attempt we were forced to go around because of a small plane on the runway and that wasn't such a big deal. But the second attempt we thought we were almost on the ground when we were waved up again but we had no idea why. By the time we made the loop and returned for the third time most everyone around us, and I'm guessing all throughout the plane, were becoming very tense but thank God, the third attempt was the charm.

We met some people at Sunset Beach Bar a few days later who had seen our less than perfect arrival and they were just as stunned as we were because like us, they thought we were down on the second attempt and when they witnessed the aborted landing and the take off, they said they were scared for all of us. They should have been sitting where we were.....

I'm sure it looked and felt a lot worse than it really was, but as many times as we'd landed at PJIA both before and since that trip, that's one SXM experience I hope we never get to relive. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I don't know. I've been on planes with aborted landings and I never felt like there was any danger. These things happen all the time. Why the nervousness?

Weeks,

I guess many a world traveler wouldn't feel any apprehension in an aborted landing anywhere, but then again, there are those travelers among us for whom just the fact of being on a plane in the first place is cause for fear and concern and their fears only increase as they taxi and then take off....

And then there's aborted take-offs. We only experienced one in all our flying adventures and it was in DC immediately after we experienced our first de-icing. Air travel is such fun.

I'm usually okay with flying, but having made close to 35 years worth of SXM landings at that point and having never had it happen before in all those trips and flights, I was okay with the first abort but the second one was too close to landing before we went up again for my taste.

I was told after the fact, had the pilot NOT made the third landing we would have been diverted to PR. Fact or fiction? I don't know. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I think in all my flying, I've only been on one plane with a diverted landing and it made me VERY nervous! Obviously, something is out of the ordinary if there is a diverted landing, and anything out of the ordinary makes me nervous!!

The only time I've ever been on a plane that aborted landing it was scary as crap! You're gently gliding onto the runway, and all of a sudden the nose is up and the engines are going all out! Not normal, even for an experienced flyer.

Think of it this way; far better to go around and try again than run into what ever trouble the pilot was concerned about!

I was on a flight once (returning from St. Martin, in fact!) and Boston was socked in with fog. We made several approaches, following in a cargo plane hoping that it would roll the fog off the runway. After the third attempt we were diverted to RI. I thought it was great, the white knuckle flyer next to me not so much. Your mileage may vary. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I guess some people wouldn't like flying into St. Barts.

SXM??? Wendell

Wendell,

If I had my druthers, I'd sail. And that goes for Saba, too. My first flight and landing in Saba was definitely a white-knuckle affair, but on the other hand, I don't feel too bad since many who go to both destinations via the water have that white-knuckled/green appearance upon arrival so it's all a matter of what floats your boat, I guess. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Or What floats your plane???

SXM??? Wendell

Actually, Wendell, my plane can soar all it wants, but I truly hope it never has to float. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Obviously, that's better than having a BIG problem, but obviously there is a problem to begin with, which doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy!!

Take it from someone who knows, not going around is usually the wrong decision. During my career I read many accident reports about people who should have and didn't, usually resulting in deaths.

I hadn't really given any thought to aborted landings before. In fact watching all the planes land safely at Maho over the years made me feel so much better about flying. Now I wish that I hadn't read this thread. As for St Bart's - went once by boat-no need for a repeat trip.

What are the other "scheduled " landings of the BIIIIIIIIGGG planes???
I vaguely remember Wed @ 3:30 from yrs past.

Facts ! The pilots have the right to 3 attempts to land the plane, if they can't they must divert the plane to another airport to land.

I don't doubt you at all, just it's scary when it happens..

Pat, I think that is true about diversions especially because of high winds as this happened to us a couple of years ago trying to land in Ottawa from Cuba. After three tries, we were diverted to Toronto and sat on the runway there for three hours waiting for the weather conditions in Ottawa to change.
There were a couple of passengers that had a panic attack and had to be removed from the plane by security and medics. They said they would not get back on the aircraft and were going to rent a car and drive from Toronto to Ottawa. I guess they were not convinced that driving in a storm was more dangerous than flying!

I've only been on one aborted landing, coming into Boston. It most definitely got my attention! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> Very nice pilot immediately got on the horn and said that the plane landing ahead of us was taking it's time moving off the runway! Second time around was uneventful, and the pilot got a nice cheer!

St. Barts is a great landing! Especially because the plane is limited enough in size that as a passenger you're pretty much guaranteed to be able to see that swooping down the side of the hill bit of it. (Remember; I'm the one who enjoys hairy rides, so... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />)

Now driving on any island in the Caribbean...That's where my knuckles get white! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Driving in St. Lucia is a trip.
SXM??? Wendell

When we were on a plane that had to make a second try the pilot said that the plane just wouldn't come down due to wind. From my balcony at the Towers I have seen planes go around a few times and then go elsewhere to land. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Here's a website with all the activity.
http://flightaware.com/live/airport/TNCM

Let me add a little perspective from the left front seat. Although I have not flown as a pilot in command for many years, I still have my FAA "Commercial Pilot Certificate - Airplane, Single and Multi-Engine Land - Instrument" license framed and hanging on the wall of my den...next to my USAF retirement certificate.

When a pilot executes a "missed approach" and goes around for another approach, that is a GOOD THING for your safety. The FAA and Military accident report archives are FILLED with descriptions of crashes where the pilot recognized that "something is not quite right here" but still pressed on...and killed themselves and everyone onboard. EVERY airport has published missed-approach proceedures that safely bring you around for another shot at the landing. The wise pilot has no hesitation at declaring a missed approach and going around for a better attempt.

The wise pilot also has no qualms about declaring an emergency when warrented, either... If the pilot of Air Asia QZ8501, when denied permission to avoid the fierce thunderstorm dead ahead due to traffic, had only uttered aviation's "magic words" in response to the controler's denial those onboard would most likely be alive and at home today.

The magic words? "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY". Those words would have immediately made that aircraft THE most important plane in the sky, the Captain could have taken ANY actions he/she deemed necessary for the safe completion of their flight, and the role of ATC would be limited to getting every other aircraft in the area out of their way. (Setting the transponder to squalk Mode 3/A code 7700 does the same thing).

Unfortunately that flight flew into the heart of the beast.

Many years ago when my ex wife was a flight attendant with ONA, one of their aircraft with ONA cockpit crew and ALM cabin crew (charter of some sort) made a few missed approaches to SXM then diverted to SJU but unfortunately miscalculated the fuel and didn't make it. Within a few months of that she and another 100 of so ONA employees were deadheading a flight to the middle east when it hit birds when taking off from JFK and crashed and burned. She wasn't much fun to fly with after that!

Yes, it was ONA flight 032 on 12 Nov 75, a DC-10-30CF tail number N1032F that hit the birds below V1 and the pilot used the entire runway trying to get it stopped and finally made a hard turn onto Taxiway Z at 40kt that collapsed the main gear and stopped the aircraft. Everyone successfully evacuated the aircraft...helped by nearly everyone onboard being trained crew members.

I can see where that may have soured her on flying...

For sure!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

The SXM flight was ALM 980, interesting the pilots name was Balsey! ONA 032 still has a reunion as far as I know. Wife was interviewed by Gabe Pressman, much was bleeped.