Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Entwood]

Correct name is the "Machynlleth Loop" and I've gone round it many times in a Hercules (C130). Its is part of a very well known low-level training route used by many different types of aircraft.

There are numerous places in the UK where you can stand on the top of a hill and look down on low-level training aircraft, we used to wave at folks above us all the time, but no where, to my knowledge has as many "regular" visitors as the Loop, which is why it is so popular.

If you go there to take photos, be aware there is a "one way system" around the loop, so the aircraft will always approach from the same direction, this makes it easier to spot them but limits the time of day for the best photo's due to the light. There used to be a car park at the bottom of the hill and a well trodden footpath to the best points, but I've not been back there for a few years now.

Lots of info on the loop on this site ..

http://www.mjaviation.co.uk/Lowfly.htm

HTH

[tigers_gonads]

What was the lowest you managed to get a herc down too round there Nige ?

[Entwood]

What was the lowest you managed to get a herc down too round there Nige ?

Herc low level in the later years was limited to 250 ft MSD - Minimum Seperation Distance - which in essence was a "bubble" of 250 with the a/c at its centre, nothing was allowed to pierce the bubble ... pylons/hills/trees houses whatever .. in the early years it was 250 AGL - Above Ground Level - so the wingtips didn't count .. and got very, very close on some occasions ... hence the change to the rules !!

Some folks were allowed to go lower, and others lower still, but there was really no tactical reason for ultra low level in mountains ... that really is desert stuff.... in the mountains as long as you are below the top of the hill you can't be seen/shot at from another hill/valley ... so stupid low was stupid risk .. and many a pilot got the back edge of my tongue when they started getting silly.

A large aircraft like a Herc has a large inertia, and I buried too many mates after it all went wrong to add my name to the list.

[feeutfo]

OOOOHOHOOOO you lucky lucky man, being there at the right time

Now that tornado(?) at the top. Imagine that, coming at you hard on, at exactly head height, looking for all the world like it was locked on to your forehead, belting toward you down the a66 valley in Cumbria while stood on top of mid height fell.
  Leaving it to the last minute, to the point you fealt the need to put hands up to surrender, then wave it off to his right along the valley, before actually he turned with his wingman(?) banked hard to reveal his under belly and little vapour trails off the wing tips. Topped off with a wing wave as he cleared off up the valley. A sight and sound I'll never forget. Awesome. Could even pick out the luminous green of the heads up and the pilots helmet behind it.

But you got an awesome collection there. Off to google the location.

[feeutfo]

Yes, placed on bucket list.

[dbug]

Awesome pics mate - well done 

[tigers_gonads]

What was the lowest you managed to get a herc down too round there Nige ?

Herc low level in the later years was limited to 250 ft MSD - Minimum Seperation Distance - which in essence was a "bubble" of 250 with the a/c at its centre, nothing was allowed to pierce the bubble ... pylons/hills/trees houses whatever .. in the early years it was 250 AGL - Above Ground Level - so the wingtips didn't count .. and got very, very close on some occasions ... hence the change to the rules !!

Some folks were allowed to go lower, and others lower still, but there was really no tactical reason for ultra low level in mountains ... that really is desert stuff.... in the mountains as long as you are below the top of the hill you can't be seen/shot at from another hill/valley ... so stupid low was stupid risk .. and many a pilot got the back edge of my tongue when they started getting silly.

A large aircraft like a Herc has a large inertia, and I buried too many mates after it all went wrong to add my name to the list.

Even though I was ground crew, we was all apart of the same team and worked for the same boss so I can relate to that 

This might be crewroom / beer call boll*cks but I was told many moons ago that there was a "certain circuit breaker" in the herc that if pulled, it stopped the rad alt reading from being recorded so the herc pilots could be a little naughty without being caught 
Any truth in that rumour ?

[cam2502]

Fantastic pics

[F1 9LFG]

OOOOHOHOOOO you lucky lucky man, being there at the right time

Now that tornado(?) at the top. Imagine that, coming at you hard on, at exactly head height, looking for all the world like it was locked on to your forehead, belting toward you down the a66 valley in Cumbria while stood on top of mid height fell.
  Leaving it to the last minute, to the point you fealt the need to put hands up to surrender, then wave it off to his right along the valley, before actually he turned with his wingman(?) banked hard to reveal his under belly and little vapour trails off the wing tips. Topped off with a wing wave as he cleared off up the valley. A sight and sound I'll never forget. Awesome. Could even pick out the luminous green of the heads up and the pilots helmet behind it.

But you got an awesome collection there. Off to google the location.

It was a surreal few days, as you said above 

[Entwood]

What was the lowest you managed to get a herc down too round there Nige ?

Herc low level in the later years was limited to 250 ft MSD - Minimum Seperation Distance - which in essence was a "bubble" of 250 with the a/c at its centre, nothing was allowed to pierce the bubble ... pylons/hills/trees houses whatever .. in the early years it was 250 AGL - Above Ground Level - so the wingtips didn't count .. and got very, very close on some occasions ... hence the change to the rules !!

Some folks were allowed to go lower, and others lower still, but there was really no tactical reason for ultra low level in mountains ... that really is desert stuff.... in the mountains as long as you are below the top of the hill you can't be seen/shot at from another hill/valley ... so stupid low was stupid risk .. and many a pilot got the back edge of my tongue when they started getting silly.

A large aircraft like a Herc has a large inertia, and I buried too many mates after it all went wrong to add my name to the list.

Even though I was ground crew, we was all apart of the same team and worked for the same boss so I can relate to that 

This might be crewroom / beer call boll*cks but I was told many moons ago that there was a "certain circuit breaker" in the herc that if pulled, it stopped the rad alt reading from being recorded so the herc pilots could be a little naughty without being caught 
Any truth in that rumour ?

K model Hercs never had any recording devices whatsoever, so pulling the lowlevel bug warning c/b would simply stop the light coming on and the audio sounding in your headset. Exactly the same effect could be achieved by setting the bug low. Both cases being equally stupid. It was done by some, but I hope I, and the pilots I flew with, were a tad more "professional" than that. Certainly any new/young pilot who suggested it got told exactly what to do.. and they did.it.