If you are passionate about aviation, you know that there is great joy in watching planes take off and land. Some airports, due to the layout of their runways, provide breathtaking views of planes in motion.
Although we all know how and why thousands of kilograms of metal can fly in the sky, it still seems unimaginable that it can actually happen. Hence the passion of plane enthusiasts and thrill-seekers.
Observing the maneuvers of a commercial aircraft involves getting as close as possible to the runway. Most airports around the world have one or two spots suitable for plane spotting.
In Skiathos, tourists brave all risks to admire planes in motion.
But some airports are better than others, offering direct views of the runways because they are located near public areas. Skiathos Airport, located on the eponymous island in Greece, is one of these airports.
It has a short runway of only 1,628 meters and accommodates aircraft as large as the Boeing 767. Tourists can observe planes landing and taking off from both sides of the runway, but the best angle is from the south side, overlooking the parking lot of the island’s port.
While landings in Skiathos are spectacular, so are the takeoffs. Vacationers constantly watch for plane departures to admire the power of their engines, braving all the risks that may be involved, just to satisfy their curiosity.
And yes, this activity is not without risk, as the engines of planes at full throttle can project everything behind them. In 2018, a 12-year-old British boy was injured after being propelled into the air for nearly 10 meters by the engine of an airplane.
The spectacular takeoff of an Airbus A321 was filmed up close at Skiathos Airport.
But that doesn’t stop tourists, especially thrill-seekers, from gathering in front of Skiathos Airport to witness the spectacle created by the jet blast of the airplanes.
In a video shared on Facebook on Saturday, June 3rd, we witness two of these spectacular takeoffs. The first takeoff was performed by a Wizz Air Airbus A321.
After positioning the aircraft at the end of the runway, the pilot pushed the engines to full throttle, creating a powerful jet blast behind him. The tourists present were unable to even stand due to the propulsion force generated by the airplane.
A few moments later, a Sky Express ATE 72 aircraft from the Greek company also took off on the runway, under the admiring gaze of the vacationers present. The video shared by the Facebook page “Airliners Life” ends with a spectacular landing of a TUI Fly aircraft.