Close Encounters With Incoming Jets On St. Maarten's Maho Beach

This Is What It Looks Like When Planes Land Right Over Your Head

Planes on Runway 10 at Princess Juliana International Airport must touch down as close to the tarmac as possible, since the airstrip is incredibly short.

This wouldn't be much of an issue...if the airport weren't located mere steps from a popular beach.

Planes all but skim the sand as they zoom onto the Caribbean island of St. Maarten -- signs warn that blasts from incoming flights could cause extreme harm or death to the tourists who line up to watch (and they have). (On the flip side, you bank pretty hard over a mountain upon takeoff.)

For those who stay at a safe distance, however, the brush with incoming jets is a safe and spine-tingling thrill. In their new book, photographers Josef and Jakob Hoflehner capture the action in mesmerizing black and white.

Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner
Josef Hoflehner and Jakob Hoflehner

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10. London Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom

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