St. Maarten (tncm)

[Timebuilder]

This is the kind of thing I miss about my old job.

Radar at St Maarten? Cool. Even so, you have to watch out for other airplanes being vectored for landing. The controllers aren't quite up to US standard. Brief the departure procedure, too. They want you to turn in a particular direction before you hit the big hill in front of you. One guy I flew with made a turn the wrong way, and they were a little upset by it. The whole time I'm pointing and saying "no, THAT WAY!!' but it didn't help. I let him explain it to the tower.

The Maho isn't bad per se, but I'll bet the hotel mentioned above near Orient Beach is more fun. Better scenery, too.

The 747 takeoffs are interesting from the outdoor restaurant at the Maho. Loud, too.

Check your charts and go over the HF reporting info if you don't do this often. I'd make up a template and fill in the info in the right order, to keep it simple.

RVSM equipment makes it a lot easier. We had one RVSM 35a when I left, if I recall correctly.

Down the road from the airport is a small rental car place where you can get a corolla to tool around the island. You can also rent a cell phone there, since a typical US phone won't work. Maybe a phone with a sim card will, but I never looked into it. We carried a little Nokia around in order to always be available to our dispatcher.

Phillipsburg has a real supermarket if you want to buy food.

Good luck. I miss it.

 

[T-Gates]

Can TLC handle GV's? Thanks.TC

You get yourself a Gulfstream gig?

 

[Gumby]

Re: More info???

Looks like I'll be headed down to TNCM in the next week or so, possibly for 5 to 7 days.
Just wanted to hear from those of you with recent knowledeg; where would you recommend the crew stay for that length of time? Looking for a great beach, good night life, and a little (very little) shopping. In that order. Gotta bring something back for the significant other. Appreciate the help.

And Gumby, I don't want to hear any of your bitching. You've been practically living in PBI this winter.

I thoughts I hear me ears ringing!!! Me bitch? Noo way!! And this coming from the "Gear Biatch" himself!? PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Tell us all, that YOU'RE leaving the SPEEDO home this trip!! Serenity now!!! I've gotta go now and "cross swomp at 8000"...

 

[Otter]

just tried TLC

Used TLC today for the first time, and they did an outstanding job! The difference between TLC and Arrendale is staggering.

 

[Timebuilder]

I thought the "staggering" had more to do with the Heineken Happy Hour at that little bar at the beach end of the runway.

 

[Otter]

.

gotta love the south beach bar...one buck heinies.

 

[rice]

Anyone been there lately????

I've got a trip coming up in January and it seems like most of the hotels are already booked up. If anyone has any recent experience I'd appreciate a heads up. Looking at the French side this time, did the Maho before and since we'll be there for few days I was hoping to get to Orient beach.
Thanks

 

[Timebuilder]

Ah, Orient Beach. When I sell a few more luxury homes......

At any rate, we only stayed at the Maho. Maybe it was just because it had the lowest rates, or maybe Arrendale had a deal set up; I'm not certain.

We used to get this little white Corolla from the car and cellphone rental place just down the road from the airport. The cellphone is the only kind that we knew of that funtions on the island, and the Corolla had barely enough power to climb the big hill above Phillipsburg a mile or two south of Orient Beach.

Be prepared for the fact that the little bar/restauant at Orient does not understand the concept of refills for soda, so you'll pay a premium price for every one of them, just like for mixed drinks. Use plenty of sunblock, SPF 50, and have a towel ready to place strategically when some young French model walks by with an all-over tan, and you find yourself with a sudden, and visible, reaction.

And above all, have fun. Orient is the little area you see in the Delta Sky Miles commercial, where the woman is in the little swing under the parachute, soaring above the water with the green hill and beach in the background. She starts out saying "I'm not ready!!!!" and at the end she's calling out "higher!!!!!!!"

I want to go back.......

 

[Otter]

Maho

You want to stay at the Maho, there is an all inclusive option which is not bad. right next door upstairs are two resturants, the one on the left side of the patio has one of the best ceaser salads I have had (no BBQ for the inquiring mind).

Last time we went we used the guys that used to be at Arrendale and started their own handling company, great group. 011-599-548-4442, ask for sheldon or earl. I have their email as well if you need it PM me.

Oriental beach is worth a stop, and the bar at the end of the street from the Maho that has the sections of stage over water with these brass poles under the moonlight is not bad either (lots of eastern european talent).

Thursday (could be Wed) at the South Beach bar is a MUST do, I think that is when the 747 comes in and departs and the humor of watching the beach blow away is excellent. The airbus and 75/76 departures are good but the 74 by far has the greatest entertainment value.

Oh and if you get bored and need some excitment take the island hopper (the smaller the better, normanders I think) over to St Bart. The trip is a good way to kill the day, and the approach and landing are worth the 40 or 50 bucks. Plus there is a resturant in downtown St Barts that Jimmy Buffet co-owns and the food is great and the scenery in the evening even better, lots of yacht crews too.

 

[murfdawg998]

that great group of handlers to which otter refers is TLC Aviation...stands for The Logical Choice and definitely lives up to it. Steve Kong runs the show as was already pointed out, otherwise deal with Clement or Sheldon.

Enjoy...........