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Hurricane Irma Approaches — This Is What The Eye Looks Like From a WC-130J

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Hurricane Irma Approaches — This Is What The Eye Looks Like From a WC-130J

The Hurricane Hunters from both NOAA and the 53rd Weather Reconnoissance Squadron have been busy lately.  Fresh from their observations of Hurricane Harvey as the storm tortured Texas and Louisiana, both teams are now flying through three hurricanes that are currently churning in the Atlantic.

The hurricane attracting the most interest right now is Hurricane Irma.  Hurricane Irma is a monster storm.  It has already caused significant destruction in the Caribbean, destroying homes, businesses, and even damaging the world-famous Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten.

With maximum sustained winds currently (as of 7:00PM ET on Sept 9, 2017) at 135 MPH, the strong category three hurricane is expected to strengthen on Saturday evening before landfall on Florida’s west coast on Sunday morning. How much the storm strengthens is a factor of water temperature, upper level shearing winds, and path.  The projected path is projected through combination of satellite imagery, data models, air, and ground/buoy observations.

Hurricane Hunters improve the accuracy of forecasts that save lives

Satellite and ground data isn’t enough though to produce a completely accurate forecast though. The hurricane hunting flights serve a critical purpose. While flying through the storm, the crew measures the winds, structure of the storm (moisture, cloud profiles), pressure changes, and turbulence.  The crew also uses dropsondes to gain a profile of winds and pressure at various altitudes.  Each probe that is ejected from the WC-130J transmits observations and location throughout the descent.  That information is transmitted to the National Hurricane Center to refine forecasts and update the projected path of the storm.

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Photo by: 53rd WRS

Airbus Paints First Airbus A320 In Fantastic Original 1980s Paint Scheme

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Airbus Paints First Airbus A320 In Fantastic Original 1980s Paint Scheme

Airbus is preparing to celebrate celebrate 30 years of the Airbus A320.  They recently posted photos of the original A320 painted in the original (very 80s) delivery paint scheme.  The original aircraft known as MSN 001 will be delivered to Aeroscopia museum in Toulouse, France for display.

The Airbus A320 isn’t the world’s sexiest aircraft but it has secured its place in aviation history.  With over 7,000 A320s in service, the family of jets is an important part of most major airline fleets.  The jet has evolved as the industry has evolved.  The Airbus A320 was designed to compete against the Boeing 737.  The A320 had a wider cabin, more efficient engines, longer range, and fly-by-wire flight controls.  It gained traction with a few US airlines like Northwest and America West.  Boeing countered with the 737 Next Generation featuring a more efficient wing and engines. Airbus continued to gain market share with aggressive pricing and a series of upgrades.  They also expanded the fleet offering to include the smaller A318 and A319 and larger A321 that competed against the 757.

In 2010, Airbus announced the A320NEO series that offered more efficient turbofan engines.  By beating Boeing’s MAX offering to the market, they now outsell the legendary Boeing 737 by a 6 to 5 margin.

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Airbus’ original A320 was repainted to its factory fresh paint scheme from 1988. Photo: Airbus

Record Breaking Aviators Fly Their Glider into the Stratosphere

Joe Vaeth
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Record Breaking Aviators Fly Their Glider into the Stratosphere

“10 meters, 6 meters, 2 meters, SCORE!” Perlan II pilot Jim Payne keyed his mic to countdown as Perlan II reaced to new heights in the aviation record books. On September 3rd two aviators Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock achieved an altitude of 54,000 feet pressure altitude and 52,172 feet GPS altitude in a glider, breaking the absolute altitude record for a crew of an engineless aircraft. The earlier record was set by Steve Fossett & Einar Enevoldson. They reached an altitude of 50,277 feet back in 2006. The crew of the Perlan II launched from El Calafate near Patagonia in Argentina and logged 6:38 of flight time on their record breaking flight, it was the longest flight in the program to date.

Airbus Perlan II Mission

The record breaking flight is integral to the Airbus Perlan Mission II program. Perlan II’s goal is “reach the edge of space” in a glider. Airbus became the title sponsor of the program in 2014, and the aircraft constructed by the team is affably named Perlan II a purpose built – pressurized glider designed to be piloted to a heights of over 90,000 feet above the earth’s surface. The team is driven to take Perlan II an engineless glider higher into the stratosphere than any glider has ever been before by harnessing the power of stratospheric mountain waves and the polar vortex. In accomplishing this task they intend to learn more about earth’s atmosphere and its ozone layer.

Reaching 54,007′

The weather forecast for the day called for soft mountain wave below 18,000 feet and a difficult transition at 34,000 hardly the day to set a new world record.  The crew released from tow over a hot spot and slowly climbed in a thermal over Buenos Aires.  Upon reaching 28,000 feet they determined that they had enough altitude to fly upwind and connect with the primary wave over the Andes Mountains. This maneuver cost the crew 7,000 feet but they were able to climb in the wave steadily to 33,000 feet, followed by another slow climb to 37,000.  The team knew the mark to set a new record was 51,214 GPS altitude.

The crew turned downwind toward the Chilean border where they anticipated finding stronger secondary mountain wave.  Perlan II maintained a steady climb from 40,000 to 50,000.  Jim & Morgan “clawed” their way up to 54,007 feet, reaching a maximum GPS altitude of 52,172 feet and setting their new world record.

Aircraft

The Perlan II aircraft has been designed for optimal performance at 50,000 feet and has a pressurized cabin that allows the pilots to safely operate aircraft/system controls without their pressure suits overinflating. It has a crew of two, a gross takeoff weight of 1800lbs, and an 84 foot wingspan.  There is also a tail mounted camera for the situational awareness of the crew and taking really cool photos. The aircraft is equipped with instrumentation and lighting to fly at night. The life support systems include dual-redundant oxygen rebreathers, a pressurization system set to maintain a cabin altitude of 14,000 feet.  The crew has two emergency parachutes and the aircraft has a drogue chute for high altitude rapid descent and a ballistic chute for lower altitudes.

History

Aug 30 2006 Steve Fosset, you may recognize him as the first person to solo a balloon non-stop around the world, and Einar Enevoldson the Perlan program founder and NASA test pilot, flew the first Perlan 1 aircraft to an altitude of 50,277 feet. Until 9/3/17 they held the world record for highest altitude achieved in a glider. “And they could have gone even higher,” as they reached their record breaking new heights Perlan 1 crew’s pressure suits overinflated and could have interfered with the flight controls making continued operation dicey, so the pilots decided to return to earth.

Perlan II’s maiden flight was in 23 Sept 2015 at Redmond Municipal Airport in Oregon. Since then the team has been fine-tuning their aircraft’s life-support and telemetry systems.  In 2016 during testing over Minden, Nevada, Perlan II reached an altitude of 24,300 feet, before setting out for a record-breaking attempt in Argentina. Last year when the Perlan II team came to Argentina team they did not break the record, topping out only at 22,500 in weak wave conditions.

This year after 7 flights at the El Calafate testing site in Argentina the team has set a new record and now can set their sights on going even higher.

Follow the Perlan II project

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New world absolute altitude claim. 52,172 feet GPS altitude. 53,955 feet pressure altitude. Tim Payne’s Flight Log 3 Sep 2017 – Pilot, Perlan II

https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=6116604

 

http://www.perlanproject.org/blog/airbus-perlan-mission-ii-world-record-flight

Delta Air Lines Sends 747 To Rescue Pax Ahead Of Hurricane Irma

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Delta Air Lines Sends 747 To Rescue Pax Ahead Of Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma continues to plow towards Florida.  Cities throughout Florida’s coast are mandating evacuations and Miami is quickly becoming a boarded up ghost town.

Demand for flights is sky high will many visitors to Florida trying to evacuate ahead of the approaching hurricane.  Airlines have upgauged their aircraft, for instance substituting 767s and 777 for typical 737 routes. American Airlines added an additional 23 flights over the past two days. Delta Air Lines brought the heavy metal on Friday.  Tail N667US, a Boeing 747-400, flew as flight DL2517 from Detroit to Orlando.  It returned later that afternoon to Detroit with nearly 400 passengers onboard

Flying a Boeing 747 on a domestic trip to Florida makes a ton of sense.  Air traffic in Florida is horribly congested ahead of Irma’s arrival.  Some airports in the direct path of Irma like Key West have already shut down. A Boeing 747 allows Delta to use one flight to carry as many passengers as two Boeing 737-900 or 757s. The FAA Flight Delay Information page shows that most major airports in Florida show a delay of at least 30 minutes.  Flights from Miami to Teterboro (major destination for private jets) show an average delay of three hours and 27 minutes!

This truly is a swan song for Delta’s queen of the skies. Delta 747’s last domestic route was supposed to be earlier this week as it flew a red-eye between LAX and Detroit.  Many avgeeks booked their flight in anticipation of flying the last domestic 747 flight by Delta.  That honor now goes to over 300 hurricane evacuees.  Delta’s 747-400s will continue to fly out of Detroit to select destinations in Asia until the end of the year.  By 2018, no major US-based scheduled passenger airline will operate the Boeing 747.

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Hurricane Irma approaching Cuba. It is expected to hit Florida Saturday evening. Photo by: NOAA

The Final C-5A Galaxy Flew To The Boneyard Today

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The Final C-5A Galaxy Flew To The Boneyard Today

The final Lockheed C-5A Galaxy took her last flight today.  Tail 70-0461 departed from Westover Air Reserve Base to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside Tucson, Arizona.  The jet will be decommissioned and stored.  Over time, it will most likely be parted out and eventually scrapped.

The Air Force originally flew a total of 81 C-5As, part of a total fleet of 131 C-5 A/B/C models.  While the C-5A fleet is now retired, the C-5 will continue to fly as the upgraded C-5M. The conversion to the C-5M Super Galaxy began in 2009 with ‘low rate production’.  Since then, 56 aircraft have been converted. The C-5M has ‘new’ CF-6 engines along with a number of system improvements meant to reduce maintenance requirements.

Westover Air Reserve Base flew the final four C-5A models in the Air Force.  Since our last report, the final four have slowly been retired to the Boneyard with tail 70-0461 having the distinction of the last flight.  Its sister-tail, 70-0451 was flown to Travis Air Force Base where it will eventually be displayed at the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center in Fairfield, California.

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C-5A tail 70-0451 flew its last flight on July 26, 2017. It will eventually be on display at the Travis AFB Heritage Center. (Photo by: Airman Hanna N. Smith)

This is truly the end of an era in heavy-lift aviation. The strategic airlifter was loud, noisy, and a maintenance hog. Yet it flew hundreds of thousands of troops to conflicts from Vietnam to Desert Storm to OEF, OEF, and HOA.  The TF-39s that were slung below the wing had the distinction of being the first high-bypass turbofans in the Air Force inventory. They could lift nearly a million pounds of airplane into the sky in the most austere environments.

While it may be hard to believe it, airman and avgeeks will never again hear the distinctive whine of FRED’s engines.  A toast and a moment of silence for the original FRED. So long, buddy.

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Tail 70-0461 spools up for her final takeoff to the Boneyard. Photo: Westover Air Reserve Base

Guardian Angel Reservists Brace for Irma, Just Days After Returning From Harvey

Mike Killian
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Guardian Angel Reservists Brace for Irma, Just Days After Returning From Harvey

Combat search-and-rescue airmen with the U.S. Air Force Reserve 920th Rescue Wing live by the motto, “These Things We Do, That Others May Live“, and that is proving true yet again in the 2017 Hurricane season.

They just recently returned home to Patrick AFB, FL on Sep 3, after flying weeklong relief efforts in Texas to rescue stranded victims trapped by flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

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920th Rescue Wing in action rescuing flood victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Credit: USAF

But now, Hurricane Irma is raging as a powerful Category 5 storm in the Caribbean, and has its eyes set on Florida’s Atlantic coast, including Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the 920th’s home – Patrick AFB.

Responsible for a variety of demanding missions and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, they are trained to perform some of the most highly-specialized operations in the Air Force, and their elite Pararescuemen (better known as PJ’s) are among the most highly trained emergency trauma specialists in the U.S. military.

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The 920th doing what they do best, rescue. Photo: Mike Killian

They deployed roughly 90 Citizen Airmen, three Pave Hawks and two HC-130Ns in support of Air Force Northern’s search and rescue mission for FEMA disaster relief efforts in Texas, and saved over 235 lives in the process.

But now, 920th crews are in the process of relocating their helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft to Orlando and Georgia, in response to Irma’s projected path and pre-position for rescue efforts if needed.

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Hurricane Irma from space today. Credit: NOAA

Many of the roughly 90 Citizen Airmen with the 920th who deployed to Texas for Harvey rescue efforts live in the potential path of Irma, and are preparing themselves and families for the storm, while also transitioning from Harvey relief missions to preparing for Irma relief missions in the coming days with their HH-60G “Jolly” Pave Hawk helicopters and HC-130P/N “King” refuelers.

Col. Kurt Matthews, 920th Rescue Wing commander, strongly urged all his rescue warriors to get prepared. “Now is the time to secure your home and ensure you have emergency supplies and an evacuation plan,” he said.

Matthews said his biggest priority is to protect “airmen and assets“.

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Preparing for Irma at 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla. Credit: USAF

Meanwhile, the 45th Space Wing has entered Hurricane Condition IV (HURCON IV), disconnecting electrical power to non-essential facilities and preparing their facilities for the arrival of the storm.

Tomorrow at 7 a.m. the 45th will officially begin full evacuation for the barrier islands.

And whatever Irma does, the 920th RQW will be ready.
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SpaceX launches Air Force X-37B Space Shuttle on Fifth Mission

Charles Atkeison
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SpaceX launches Air Force X-37B Space Shuttle on Fifth Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The U.S. Air Force uncrewed space shuttle lifted-off from the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday to begin a fifth classified mission to test and develop new technologies for future space craft.

The autonomous Boeing-built X-37B orbital test vehicle will spend over one year in a low Earth orbit at around 500 miles in altitude. The flight will build upon the programs four previous long duration missions.

Thursday’s launch marked the first time commercial launch company SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered an X-37B into orbit. Previously, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V delivered the first four missions into space.

Under sunny skies, the Falcon 9’s nine Merlin engines ignited as the countdown clock reached zero to lift-off on time at 10:00 a.m. EDT. Seconds later, the white rocket and it’s historic military payload enclosed in a protective payload cleared the tower of it’s seaside launch pad and began to dart out over the Atlantic waters.

The delta-winged spacecraft, which resembles a smaller version of NASA’s space shuttle orbiters, launched from historic pad 39-A — the same pad as the Apollo moon missions and shuttle flights of yesteryear.

The launch began exactly four months after the conclusion of the fourth test flight which lasted 718 days in space. All combined, the four previous missions have logged 2,085 days in low Earth orbit. Mission five’s unknown duration may have it stay in orbit for up to two years.

“This mission carries small satellite ride shares and will demonstrate greater opportunities for rapid space access and on-orbit testing of emerging space technologies,” the Air Force said in a statement issued this week. “Building upon the fourth mission and previous collaboration with experiment partners, this mission will host the Air Force Research Laboratory Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader payload to test experimental electronics and oscillating heat pipe technologies in the long duration space environment.”

Falcon 9’s first stage landed successfully at Kennedy Space Center. Photo: SpaceX

Two and one-half minutes into the flight, the Falcon’s first stage separated, and the second stage took over the ascent portion to place the space plane in its proper orbit.

As the X-37B was carried into orbit by the upper stage, the newly spent first stage began its controlled journey back to America’s Space Coast. A series of burns by the stage positioned the empty casing to successfully touchdown upright upon its landing legs eight minutes following launch.

Following an undisclosed flight time, the space plane is expected to touchdown no earlier than 2019 at its prime landing site in Florida. Once the Air Force sends commands to bring the reusable space plane home, it will reenter just like NASA’s space shuttle, and aim for a touchdown at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility runway.

The X-37B vehicle. Image: SpaceX

Once the landing command is given, the space plane will automatically maneuver for reentry into the atmosphere with a nose-up angle. There will not be anyone on the ground with a joystick flying the X-37B. If weather or technical issues occurs on the day it returns, Edwards, AFB in California could be called up as a back-up site with it’s longer runway.

(Charles Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

BREAKING: Two A-10 Warthogs Crash On Training Range Near Nellis AFB

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BREAKING: Two A-10 Warthogs Crash On Training Range Near Nellis AFB

This story is breaking news. We will keep this post updated as we learn more.

UPDATE #1: Sept 7, 2017 11:58 PT

Details are few at this point. What we know is that two A-10Cs crashed at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) near Nellis AFB, NV.  Both pilots ejected safely.  There is no word on their condition.  Here is the statement from Nellis AFB Public Affairs.

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev.  – Two United States Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, crashed on the Nevada Test and Training Range Sept. 6, 2017 at approximately 8 p.m.

Both pilots ejected safely and are being evaluated at the Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center at Nellis.

The aircraft were on a routine training mission at the time of the crash.

The cause of the crash is unknown and a board will be convened to investigate the incident.

While it is too early to speculate, it is highly unusual for two A-10s to crash at the same time. One of the few plausible explanations is that there was contact between the two jets. We’ll update you as we learn more.

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Saying Goodbye to a Classic: The Last Flight of Southwest’s Boeing 737-300s Is Near

Kim Clark
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Saying Goodbye to a Classic: The Last Flight of Southwest’s Boeing 737-300s Is Near

Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737-300s, dubbed the Classics, will make their last and final flight on September 29th. The 737-300s have been in service since the 1980s making them among the oldest planes in the Southwest fleet, and now like spandex pants and big hair, these old reliable aircraft have run their course.

Fast forward to April 2016 and the Southwest Airlines pilots’ union dispute over training requirements. Southwest suggested separating a group of pilots that would specialize in flying the 737-300s exclusively, since the FAA had varying, independent training requirements for the Classic airplanes. The proposed separation went over like a led zeppelin, however, and there is speculation that the pilots’ flat out refusal to accept what they believed was divisive action by Southwest led to the rapid replacement of the classic fleet in favor of the Boeing 737 Max 8.
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Observers noted a lack of hoopla surrounding the arrival of the new Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet. Southwest spokespersons cite the hurricane as the reason for the lack of fanfare around the Max arrival, saying a celebration would be inappropriate in the face of such devastating losses in the Houston area. The airline has suffered when catastrophic Hurricane Harvey caused havoc in Houston.  Houston Hobby is the second largest Southwest hub in the country. The category 4 hurricane caused torrential downpours and flooding that closed down airports and roadways.

Regardless of the underlying reasons for the quick switch, Southwest Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly says this situation is a cloud with a silver lining since this new Max fleet will provide significant fuel savings and lower maintenance costs. The expected 14% fuel savings will contribute to the carrier’s bottom line by reducing the cost of transport for each passenger. In addition, the Max have advanced technology winglets and other technological advancements designed by Boeing that make them more efficient than other narrow body aircraft.

Customers will certainly appreciate that all Max planes are equipped with modern satellite-based broadband internet. The 737-300s were not wifi-enabled so the upgrade to the Max modernizes the entire Southwest fleet. You could say it is the end of an era, as these Classic airplanes go by the way of the dinosaur. Southwest will officially launch the Boeing 737 Max 8 October 1 under this new accelerated fleet modernization effort. The fleet drawdown will coincide with the end of the busy summer season. With -800 and -MAX deliveries, Southwest will return to a similar fleet size by early next year. Southwest is the last major US carrier to fly the -300 series aircraft. Once they retire their fleet, ‘avgeeks’ will have to fly on second-rate carriers like Jet2, Ukraine International, or BoA in Bolivia.

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Retired Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 classics await their final fate at Tuscan International Airport in Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gilmore)

Related: Southwest retires the Boeing 737-500

Related: Southwest retires the original Lone Star One

United Firms Up Boeing 777-200 replacement Plan With Airbus A350-900

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United Firms Up Boeing 777-200 replacement Plan With Airbus A350-900

United Airlines announced an order for 45 new Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft, overriding an original order for the slightly larger Airbus A350-100 XWB’s.

Targeted replacement for the Boeing 777-200 fleet

United Airlines was the launch customer for the Boeing 777 back in 1995.  At the time, it was the most efficient airliner ever built.  The aircraft featured giant Pratt and Whitney engines with a diameter similar to the Boeing 737 cabin’s. The Boeing twin-jet could easily fly United’s trunk routes between Chicago and Tokyo and London. It was the perfect replacement for the aging Douglas DC-10 fleet and it augmented the flagship Boeing 747-400 as well.

Much has changed since 1995 for United.  The airline has undergone a bankruptcy, it undertook a merger with Continental and its had its fair share of very public customer service struggles.

As the airline looks to the future, it is in the process of retiring the Boeing 747-400 fleet.  It began accepting delivery of the larger Boeing 777-300ER to the fleet last year as a near one to one replacement for the aging Boeing 747s. United also has a large and still growing fleet of 787 Dreamliners that allow the airline to open up new markets between mid-size international cities. With amenities of the larger wide-bodies, and long legs, but efficiency of a midsize jet, the Boeing 787 now fits a critical role in their business plan of direct flights to markets traditionally served through connections. Flights between Singapore and San Francisco open up new opportunities for United.  The Boeing 787-8 and -9 series aircraft make those new opportunities possible. United is also welcoming the largest 787, the -10 series to the fleet next year

Boeing 777-200s are aging and no longer state-of-the-art

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The Boeing 777-200 fleet is aging. United firmed up their replacement plan through this order. United still operates some of the earliest Boeing 777s still flying.  The fly the aircraft on domestic trunk routes, to Hawaii, and to Europe. While United is upgrading the jets and adding additional seats, they are still becoming long in the tooth.   United will receive the A350-900 beginning in 2022 with the 45th jet to be received by 2027.  Currently United operates 55 Boeing 777-200s. Assuming zero growth, the Boeing 777-200 fleet would be retired within the next 10 years, most likely as they take delivery of the new Airbus A350 fleet.  That schedule would be in line with their current long-haul retirement plans which have seen the Boeing 747-400s and older Boeing 767 retired between 25 to 30 years old.

Airbus celebrates the win

In a statement by Airbus, United said, “For the past year, United has done a complete review to ensure that we have the right long-term fleet strategy, and it was clear that the A350 aligns with our replacement needs and our network,” said Andrew Levy, Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines. “The combination of the range performance and efficiencies make the A350 an attractive aircraft for United.”

“This updated and expanded order is a strong reaffirmation of the A350 XWB Family,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “United and Airbus have had a long and strong partnership for many years, and we’ve worked together to ensure their requirements for the future are met, if not exceeded. The airline’s decision to grow its widebody fleet with, for the first time, a widebody model from Airbus, shows they know that the A350 will meet their financial and performance demands, while pleasing their customers who will enjoy the quietest and most comfortable cabin in its class.”

Airbus has recorded a total of 848 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers worldwide.

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Airbus A350-900 XWB. Photo by Airbus.

Intercept a Total Solar Eclipse in a L-39 Jet

Mike Killian
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Intercept a Total Solar Eclipse in a L-39 Jet

Millions of people journeyed into a 60-70 mile wide path stretching from Oregon to South Carolina to experience witnessing the moon completely block out the sun on August 21, 2017. For many, it was the first time a total solar eclipse has occurred over the mainland U.S. in their lifetimes, including myself, and being an aviation photographer my first instinct was, naturally, to fly into it.

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Maho Beach Is Washed Away, St. Martin Airport Damaged By Hurricane Irma

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Maho Beach Is Washed Away, St. Martin Airport Damaged By Hurricane Irma

UPDATE #2 Sept 7, 2017 2:41PM PT:

Additional photos have emerged of Princess Juliana Airport.  The Dutch Ministry of Defense has posted a series of photos showing the devastating power of Irma. The Maho Beach looks completely washed away.  The famous bar at the end of the runway is in tatters.  The main runway looks mostly clear, but it is evident that the water washed over the runway.  This probably means that all runway lights and approach equipment has been damaged.  As of 2PM PT time, the airport is still officially closed.

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Sint-Maarten Princess Juliana Airport, September 6, 2017.
Photo: Vliegveld en landingsbaan Sint-Maarten.

UPDATE #1 Sept 7, 2017 8:53AM PT:

Photos are beginning to emerge of St. Martin Island and Princess Juliana’s famed Maho Beach.  It is clear that Hurricane Irma was a very destructive storm.  While buildings surrounding the field appear to be standing, the area looks more like a warzone than a tourist destination.  The damage is severe and widespread.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Maho Beach fared much better.  While the waters might be still receding, it appears that the beach itself was washed away.  It will take some significant work to repair the buildings and restore the beach.

Maho Beach on St. Maarten is officially gone #HurricaneIrma#Irmapic.twitter.com/KrMCWMWfz4

Original report:

Hurricane Irma, a major category 5 storm, barreled through the Caribbean today.  In its direct path was St. Martin Island. While some news outlets sensationally state that the airport was ‘destroyed’, it’s clear that the airport was damaged by the massive Hurricane.  Here’s what we know so far:

1.)  St. Martin took a direct hit

Maximum sustained winds from the hurricane have been estimated at 185MPH, with gusts over 200MPH. The island took a direct hit from the storm.

2.) The famous Maho Beach camera showed intense weather before it went offline

Video from the Maho Beach cam cut out during the most intense part of the Hurricane and is presumably destroyed.  PTZtv.com hosts the Maho Beach camera.  They saved the last live clip and posted it on YouTube.  In the final video, you can see the intense bands of rain and extreme winds tearing up the parking lot and damaging a nearby car.

3.) Tweets show damage to the extensive terminal, gates, and airport equipment

With the storm now passed the island, photos of the airport and the island have started to appear.  In the photos, it is clear that the island sustained damage and the airport wasn’t left unscathed.  In some of the photos taken by Twitter user @bondtehond, you can see sheet metal torn off the roof of the terminal and one of the four gates appears to be damaged.  The inside of the terminal appears to have sustained water and wind damage too.

4.) The airport is currently closed

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NOTAMs published before the hurricane approached show that the airport was closed in anticipation of the storm’s arrival.  No new NOTAMs have been published since the storm hit.

Hurricane Irma continues to churn eastward towards southern Florida.  It is expected to make landfall in the US this weekend. We’ll update this story with the latest coverage as we learn more.

About Princess Juliana International Airport

St. Martin (also spelled St. Maarten) is known for its world-famous Maho Beach that sits right at the end of the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport.  Avgeeks from all over the world descend on Maho Beach to watch everything from Boeing 747s to small planes arrive into the island.

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JetBlue A320 departure from SXM. Photo by Brad Hayes.
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