Maho Beach in Sint Maarten gives you an opportunity to get up close and personal with large jets taking off from Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). This Air France A340, operating as flight 499 to Paris, taxis to the end of runway 10. As it turns around for departure, we see the flight crew through the cockpit windows and get a wave from the first officer.
After they are cleared for takeoff by ATC, the four CFM56 engines spool up with a big puff of smoke and the jet blast sends sunbathers tumbling into the ocean. The aircraft uses most of the runway before lumbering off towards the mountains, making the standard right turn out in order to avoid them.
This aircraft (F-GNII) is an ...