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TNCM question

aeromed202

aeromed202

SOH-CM-2014
TNCM is one of my favorite places to fly around but I don't know how ground traffic is managed. Going by a freeware scenery I use it looks like heavies are positioned awkwardly and I can't quite see how they are directed around at the real airport. Are there any vids or timelapses out there that show ground handling of TNCM aircraft or anyone who flies there that can vouch for the cramped spacing? Thanks.
 
aeromed202 said:
TNCM is one of my favorite places to fly around but I don't know how ground traffic is managed. Going by a freeware scenery I use it looks like heavies are positioned awkwardly and I can't quite see how they are directed around at the real airport. Are there any vids or timelapses out there that show ground handling of TNCM aircraft or anyone who flies there that can vouch for the cramped spacing? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Not having been there, I can only look at the published data and the overall layout, but from my experience, here's what I see...

It IS limited in space and options, but that's not uncommon (it's a small place with limited room, even with the expansions and 'terraforming')
From AirNav:
LNDG PERMSN SUBJECT TO RAMP LIMITATIONS.
-ALL JET ACFT LNDG RY 10 SHALL MAKE RGT TURN AT FIRST TURNING BAY OR MAKE A LEFT 180 TURN AT THE END OF THE RY.
-ALL B767 JET ACFT AND HEAVIER LNDG RY 10 SHALL ROLL OUT TO EOR, USE THE TURNING BAY AND MAKE TURNS TO THE RGT.

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So, ramp use is a limiting factor of whether you can even go there. Small a/c are pretty straight-forward and the larger ones are directed as shown above. Once they backtrack to the exit (bearing in mind that most operations use Rwy 10) they enter the ramp from toward mid-field and exit the ramp to the runway via the 'parallel' taxiway or backtrack from the midfield taxiway via the 'loop' as I marked on the GE image

View attachment 49806

While it looks congested, consider the actual traffic. 103,650 movements (2007) is 20 landings/takeoffs per hour per 14 hour day. The vast majority are small(er) a/c for tourism, inter-island flights, etc. In fact, looking at FlightAware http://flightaware.com/live/airport/TNCM
there are only 6 large aircraft scheduled in a 24 hr period (2x757, 1xA320, 1x737, 1x A340) all in a window from 2:40 to 4:10 pm local time. Contrary to what we perceive from places like LAX etc, and particularly in the busiest urban centers, a great many communities are served by larger airline a/c at airports with limited (or no) taxiways, partial backtracks required, limited or restricted exits. It's details are handled by common sense, agreement between operators & airport management and mostly, ATC. TNCM is quite similar in awkwardness to Yellowknife with the mix of traffic, total volume (with the peak in tourist season) about the same and the lucky guys in the tropics even have radar!. There's a lot of co-ordination between Ground, Tower and Approach to make sure it all works (far beyond what MSFS ATC can do).
 
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