The Mach Loop

[sdennison]

While chatting with our friend "Hacker" Haskin, he spoke of a place they flew in Wales called the Mach Loop. It is a wonderful place where photographers stand on hillsides and photograph DOWN on jets flying past!

Google the Mach Loop and let me know what you think. If this topic has been discussed before, sh!tcan me!

[Randy Haskin]

Damnit, I just typed out an extensive post describing the Loop, and my computer froze and I lost it. Harumph.

[Speedy]

Damnit, I just typed out an extensive post describing the Loop, and my computer froze and I lost it. Harumph.

HEY! I DIDN'T GET A HARUMPH OUT OF THAT GUY!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhQ0DibXdHU

[Buzzking]

From youtube enjoy,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHQ4zOnPL0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijs6csP5 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhi3csUOZLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt6LhNLZ ... re=related

This should give an idea about the Mach Loop

[sdennison]

Damnit, I just typed out an extensive post describing the Loop, and my computer froze and I lost it. Harumph.

Hacker...lose your touch??? Geez I'm a dilweed!

[mazdaP5]

good times, thanks for sharing.

[TimAPNY]

I remember when in the Adirondacks Mountains in New York we could watch A-10 and F-16s flying low through the mountains. Always seemed funny to be looking down on a jet screaming though the valleys.

Tim

[Second Air Force]

Having grown up in Nebraska we had to settle for the old Oil Burner routes over relatively flat ground. There was a route in the Sandhills where you were almost at the same level as the bombers, but nothing like the Mach Loop. Neat stuff!

Scott

[ZRX61]

Waverley Valley between Suffolk & Norfolk is another place for low flying. Was working on a roof one day & found myself looking down into a Harrier cockpit as he went past...

[Buzzking]

Question for Randy,

I'm guessing you must have flown the Mach once or twice so I was wondering watching a few of Youtube Video's when the aircraft plan on running the Loop(is that the proper term running). Do you guys have some sort of airborne ATC who lets you guys know who is out in the loop.

Also is their some sort of speed and height requirement you guys must follow or is up to each flight to set speed and height.

Thanks in advance for any answer you can provide.

[Randy Haskin]

I'm guessing you must have flown the Mach once or twice so I was wondering watching a few of Youtube Video's when the aircraft plan on running the Loop(is that the proper term running). Do you guys have some sort of airborne ATC who lets you guys know who is out in the loop.

Unlike in the US where there are Military Training Routes that define specifically where military aircraft may exceed the 250-below-10K rule down low, the UK is broken down into enormous Low Fly Areas (LFAs). To fly in the LFAs, you have to schedule them beforehand -- if you're not scheduled, the MIL controllers (Swanwick Mil, IIRC over there in Wales) will not let you enter the LFA structure. The Mach Loop is located in LFA 7.

Other than that, there is no "control" down in them, per se. See and avoid essentially. There is a UHF frequency that all aircraft report their entry and exit into the LFA on, and that theoretically builds our awareness about who else is out there.

In the Mach Loop area there are some rules about flow direction. If you're going to fly in that area, you are supposed to fly in a counterclockwise ('anticlockwise' for my non-American friends) direction through the three canyons that make up the Mach Loop. That flow is identified by some arrows on the low fly chart for LFA 7. Such flow also keeps there from being midairs up those canyons because people are flying up them the wrong way.

Personally, I've never gotten close to any other aircraft while flying the loop.

Also is their some sort of speed and height requirement you guys must follow or is up to each flight to set speed and height.

US aircraft are limited to 450 KCAS and 500' AGL. I don't know what the limitations for UK aircraft are.

[Dave Smith]

A few years back I was exploring the site of a ruined 12th century Welsh castle when two F-15s came blasting in from the sea, dropped into the valley, and then disappeared in the direction of the Mach Loop. Maybe one of them was you, Randy. The noise was incredible and I punched the air in a very un-British fashion! The lady I was with was not so impressed; she thought it was very intrusive. I explained that it was entirely appropriate that these guys were carrying on the great warrior tradition of these parts. That castle had seen sieges and battles, it was not built as a holiday home ...

By the way, in case you didn't know, the Mach Loop owes its name to the small town of Machynlleth near its southern end. A bit of serendipity that this ancient Welsh name can be adapted to the jet age.

[Ztex]

It's on my bucket list...

http://www.scramble.nl/airports/publish/eg01.htm

http://www.lowflymedia.com/info/mach_loop/CADWest.shtml

[the330thbg]

So it is the 'Mac' Loop.., not the 'Mach' loop?

Although looks like these aircraft are going 'Mach'!!