Off to the loop......advice etc welcome!!

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Neil
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I've booked the leave, dug out my tent, done a search on here and google for info and it looks like I'm almost ready to make the 4hour car journey to the loop!!

This will be my first ever time, really looking forward to it (as long ad the weather is reasonable!)

Had a look on the MOD web site and found these exercises in LFA7:-


EXERCISE PASHTUN LIGHTNING - 16 MAY - 24 JUNE 11
EXERCISE SAXON WARRIOR - 18 MAY - 25 MAY 11

So, my aim is to go down on Wednesday 18th and camp over somewhere for a couple of nights.

Anyone else planning on attending 18th, 19th or 20th who'd be happy for me to tag along? (I promise not to bore you with loads of daft questions!!)

Also I'm led to believe that Bwlch is good in the morning then cad west in the afternoon?

Will be shooting with Canon 60d and siggy 100-300mm f4

Hope to see some of you there!!

Regards

Neil
 
I work in a live & work in a hotel in the loop, we have had 2 guys sat on cad east all day & 1 chap from Netherlands who is staying 6 night he was on cad west all day........not 1 single aircraft came through the loop..........the 2 chaps no doubt are gutted..... as they came from Surrey for 1 night. The chap from Netherlands has a few more tries yet.

Living in in the loop is awesome i get to see all the aircraft, I really wouldn't like to sit on hill all day waiting as i know how hit & miss there visits from RAF are.......lol

Hope this hasn't put you off, determination and patience is the name of the game.

Daz
 
Daz

Not put me off at all!! :D

From the MOD website there should be 2 exercises running in the LF7 area so I'm hedging my bets and hoping there should be some action!!

I'm used to not getting anything, was sat for 5 hours today hoping to snap a Kingfisher.......saw one for about a second, didn't get a shot and he didn't come back!!

What's it like for camping round there? My idea is to bung my little tent in the car - can't afford anything fancy like a hotel!! (fuel price alone to get there and back is bad enough!!)

Neil
 
Now whilst not wanting to disappoint you, the loop is not in LFA7 & historically the loop goes quieter when exercises are on in LFA7.

Also, its been getting quieter by the year, and this year is worse than ever.
 
zigzag said:
Now whilst not wanting to disappoint you, the loop is not in LFA7 & historically the loop goes quieter when exercises are on in LFA7.

Also, its been getting quieter by the year, and this year is worse than ever.
Click to expand...

What are is the loop in? cos the MOD web site suggests that LFA7 covers the whole of Wales, bar a small section to the North East of Powys.

Also, the Pashtun Lightning exercise is to prepare pilots for deployment to Afganistan (from what I've read) and the minimum requirement is low level flying........

Will have to do some more research!!

Neil
 
Often the pashtun exercises are based on Salisbury plain.
 
And Saxon Warrior is something with the U S navy at Culdrose and possibly Yeovilton. Again sorry to disappoint. On the upside, if they do use the loop you may, just may get USN Hornets
 
Pashtun Lightning is being held at Castlemartin Range none of the aircraft taking part will use the Loop, unless they feel like a jolly on their way home.

Saxon Warrior is an operational exercise which has changed a lot since it was initially publicised, again unless the USN fancy a jolly it will have no effect on the Loop, the carrier will be off the SW approaches
 
zigzag said:
Also, its been getting quieter by the year, and this year is worse than ever.
Click to expand...

It's to be expected really, a good chunk of our aircraft are either in Libya, the US on red flag, Afghanistan or the Falklands. We're earning our pay this year! :D
 
Sorry meant to say that the loop insnt in LFA7T.

Exercises have tended to reduce traffic in the loop so as not to conflict with the exercise, and aircraft on exercise tend not to have a quick jolly around the loop.

Doing low level work is brilliant if at times frustrating, the best advice is to just go and sit there and wait, you can never tell what type of a day it will be. Go with the expectation of a duck and you will only be happy if/when something turns up.
 
zigzag said:
Sorry meant to say that the loop insnt in LFA7T.

Exercises have tended to reduce traffic in the loop so as not to conflict with the exercise, and aircraft on exercise tend not to have a quick jolly around the loop.

Doing low level work is brilliant if at times frustrating, the best advice is to just go and sit there and wait, you can never tell what type of a day it will be. Go with the expectation of a duck and you will only be happy if/when something turns up.
Click to expand...

(y)

Decided to go anyway Tuesday to today......

Tuesday, nothing due to really low cloud (couldn't see the top of the other side of the valley on Bwlch!!)

Wednesday - went to Cad West......1x Herc (albeit a bit high) 1x Hawk and 3xF15's

Thursday (today) back at Bwlch - loads of hawks, 1x Typhoon, 1x Tornado, 1x Herc (USAF- with rear door open!) and 4x F15 (2 of which did 2 passes)

All in all not bad for my first visit (or so I am told!!)

Neil
 
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You had a pretty good week, with Thursday being a really cracking day. Hope you enjoyed it and the boys managed to keep you company!

Oh, and get some pictures up.
 
Glad you enjoyed it, just goes to show the variability
 
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