TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin 747 at SXM

Who's 747 is on the ground at SXM?

Cool! Definitely a 747 on mahobeachcam! Anyone know?

The logo looks like Astral, a cargo carrier

I guess it's been there since yesterday? There's a tweet at the bottom of the mahobeachcam with the video of the landing, said 5 PM, so guess it was yesterday.

here's what I found on them

https://www.astral-aviation.com/

Astral Aviation is a licensed cargo airline that acquired its Air Operators Certificate (AoC) and Air Service License (ASL) from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority in 2001, and subsequently designated as a cargo airline, by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kenya in November 2006.

Operating safely in the blue skies of Africa for over 18 years, Astral Aviation provides reliable and cost-effective airfreight solutions using a combination of schedule and charter flights within its intra-African and European network.

Actually it's an Icelandic Air 747 that flew into SXM at 7:55 am this morning from Milan Italy according to flightaware. It was flight ABD4234/CC4234

CC4234 is a international flight operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic. CC4234 is departing from Milan (MXP), Italy and arriving at St Maarten (SXM), Netherlands Antilles. The flight distance is about 7,192 km or 4,469 miles. Get the latest status of CC4234 / ABD4234 here.https://www.flightpedia.org/flight-status/cc4234.html

Maybe they leased the plane from Astral Aviation?

Well, that's totally different than what the tweet is at the bottom of the mahobeachcam and the plane itself sure seems to say Astral on it... Perhaps Astral flying for Icelandic Air???

Landed this morning .

Thanks Lesley. Do you know if it is a cargo plane or passengers onboard?

Cargo plane Carol , I saw them unloading a lot of cargo.

And it's locked up now and not leaving probably till tomorrow due to the long trip they just completed.

OK, thanks.

Actually, it's the other way around - Air Atlanta Icelandic wet-leased* the aircraft to Astral Aviation. It's unclear to me if the aircraft is still being operated for Astral, or if that's old livery which hasn't been painted over yet. Either way, it's an interesting flight from Milan to SXM.

Air Atlanta Icelandic has done some interesting charters over the years. They lease both freighters and passenger aircraft to a number of carriers and governments, as well as doing charters.

Iron Maiden fans may remember "Ed Force One" from the 2016 Book of Souls tour. (If heavy metal music makes your head hurt then don't click on this link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwpvoUYaR9U



* Wet-lease, aka ACMI, leases the Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance

And it’s gone...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=WPV__0CHyGA

Next stop, Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster, UK.

Great video. Amazing how those big planes can lift off that quick. Thanks for posting

Beautiful video and camera work at the airport and up the mountain looking down.

Any 747 at SXM is a great 747. Wish I were there to see it.

Even easier when empty

Awesome video. No windows.

Cargo planes don't have windows.

Lol!

Cargo doesn't have to see out. No need for windows and cheaper to build with no seats or overhead bins. Just a flying container.

It makes me wonder what it was for, what cargo arrived. From Italy I am thinking tile for a resort, and if you are in a hurry that saves over ocean and considering it would have to go ocean to the US and then Ocean again down and that is a lot of handling and tile breaks easy so this would be my guess after 33 yrs in the shipping business.

My company handled a cargo charter 727 last year from NY down to SXM and then we moved the cargo over via surface to St Barts for a wedding. Lots of money spent, even had to get cranes over on SBH to move freight down to the beach. I almost went down to supervise but somebody else got that job. Charters happen.

Cheers,
Todd

Interesting question. If your supposition is right, I would say, Diamond Resorts, for Flamingo and Royal Palm?

Tile is as reasonable a guess as any. The same carrier has a weekly flight from the Frankfurt, Germany area to Greer, SC, where BMW's largest factory is located. It's easier to guess what might be on that flight.

As the flight originated in Italy my guess would be equipment for the Italian contractor that is starting the new hospital construction very soon.

Awesome job on the video Bahston, that never gets old. It is one of my favorite things to do while in SXM! I've logged many, many hours up on the perch at La Terresse.

MrTim

No idea but below is a link regarding the hospital.
HOSPITAL

Bahston didn't take the video, as it has a PTZ TV copyright stamp on it, but the video is pretty cool, yes.

gary your post makes sense---Italian contractor...hospital. At first I too thought tile etc for hotel construction then hubby said, "that would be a heck of a lot of tile!"

It will take a Lot of tile for all of Flamingo and RP too.