They extended the run way years and years ago. So that is what you may be looking at. There has not be any crash down here for as long as I have been coming down and living here for over 20 years.

billd

I am sure you are looking at old pictures. Back in the 70s there was a mountain at the end of the runway. There was a 737 that hit the mountain in 77 or 78 I think.

The rule back then for prudent travelers was: ALWAYS fly in SJU and then get on PRINAIR, AA Eagle, or other little plane carriers to STT

Since then the mountain got knocked down and the runway extend over a couple 1000 feet. STT is perfectly safe to fly into in a 757 now.

Now if you want to have fun going into an airport - try SXM and 747 go into there: St Maaten Landings!

I have spent many an hour at the sunset beach bar in SXM at the end of that runway
It is man's Paradise!
- Cold Beer
- Blue Water and White Sand
- Maybe the best Hamburgers in the islands
- Big Airplanes (Take offs are more fun than landings)
and
- Topless women drink for free

Ok before I am labeled a pig - I have been married for 30 years and St John is my favorite island, but everyone is entitled to a Jimmy Carter moment...

Update there was 727 in 70 and 727 in 76
But the runway was less than 4700 ft long then - Now it is 7000 ft long

BTW both accidents were on landings not takeoffs - could not stop quick enought

Today, STT Cyril King is a safe modern airport so do not hesitate for a second to fly into the island
Plus they hand you a Rum Punch on entering terminal - Sure does not happen at O'Hare

I'm sooooo relieved thanks a bunch...

Ready for RumPunch Indeed!:P

Fly on USAir - the pilots are good at landing on the water. We've never had a problem landing or taking off from St Thomas Airport but we think it is better to land than it is to take off but that has more to do with us leaving the islands than anything else. My hat is off to the pilot of that ill fated flight that landed in the Hudson River. Not to mention the crew of every airplane that holds the lives of their passengers in their hands every day without so much as a problem.

You know I fly all the time, and USAir of late most.
I was on flight the other day and dude wanted to argue with the Steward on whether why he had to take off his headphones on takeoff
He was in the emergency row....

I don't get it...
After the Hudson landing you would think people would listen to the crew - they are professionals
They may not be good at customer care, but safety that is another story.
Listen to them when it comes to safety

We are indeed coming in on UsAirways 😎

Look at it this way. SXM is only a little longer than STT and they take A340s and 744s 😀 . But anyway, on the plane itself, it seems pretty but your actually well above water.

Yes, but the airplane HAS to clear that fence at SXM.

TomB wrote:
Update there was 727 in 70 and 727 in 76
But the runway was less than 4700 ft long then - Now it is 7000 ft long

BTW both accidents were on landings not takeoffs - could not stop quick enought

Today, STT Cyril King is a safe modern airport so do not hesitate for a second to fly into the island
Plus they hand you a Rum Punch on entering terminal - Sure does not happen at O'Hare

I was scheduled on the second flight. It was an April 27th flight in 1976 on American Airlines Flight 625 to St. Thomas, from JFK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_625

My mother had a feeling it was going to crash, so she canceled our tickets and rescheduled. This really made my father and his parents angry, but they were happy to be alive after the plane hit a Shell gas station and half the people aboard died.

Mother’s intitution is a powerful force!