End of the World’s Coolest Landing

Fans of one of the most picturesque — and hair-raising — landings anywhere are lamenting the end of an era.

Dutch carrier KLM will no longer fly the Boeing 747 to St. Maarten Airport. Beginning on October 30, the flights will be operated by the smaller, though still pretty cool, Airbus A330 instead.

The landings of the KLM 747s over the beach at St. Maarten, and the accompanying visceral noise and wind blast, have been a favorite of spectators — whether in person or at home on YouTube — for years.

It will still be possible to get lucky and see a 747 landing at St. Maarten, but no longer on the predictable schedule of the KLM flights.

October 28 is the last day a KLM 747 will make its dramatic landing over the beach to touch down on St. Maarten’s Runway 12.