The Bwlch - 22nd May 2007

As with the previous day, a very late call indicated a possibility of Jaguar traffic in "the Loop", so with my friend Damien Burke offering to drive, I decided I had to make a return visit.

On this occasion we didn't know exactly what to expect when, but had a rough idea.

We arrived to find parts of the pass with low cloud hanging over it, but excellent visibility in the valley itself.

Our first movement was a civillian Robinson R22 - the inhabitants coming past waving at us!

Then, a text came from Martin Keen indicating that a GR.3A had just got airborne from Coningsby. Some twenty-five minutes or so later it appeared from Dinas and performed a superb pass or two.

A shortwhile after an F-15E dropped in and off in the distance a pair of Jaguars could be seen skirting the tops. As is the norm with the Eagles, they pulled high before they got to us, but the streamers coming off the wingtips looked great as he came round the bend.

A couple of passes from the T.4 before he pulled out at Bwlch-y-Groes, and an insane fifteen minutes was completed by a pair of Hawks coming through.

After ninety minutes or so without a movement it suddenly sprung back to life as a pair of Eagles dropped in - again going high before reaching us.

Final movement of the day was a Tornado F.3 from 111 Sqn at RAF Leuchars - my first aircraft from that squadron at low-level, and in comfortably the best light of the day.

Huge thanks have to go to Damien for offering to drive, otherwise I'd have almost certainly missed out on what has to be my best afternoon to date in the Loop.