Residents living under ‘Mach Loop’ where 500mph fighter jets train complain about the noise – but it’s a tiny propeller-powered training plane that’s in their sights

  • Residents in North Wales have started a petition about noisy military aircraft
  • The aircraft use the valleys around Snowdonia to conduct low-level training 
  • Fighter pilots need low-level training to prepare for flying against enemy jets

By Darren Boyle for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

Residents in North Wales have complained about military jets flying low through the Mach Loop in Snowdonia, where some aircraft blast through at speeds of up to 500mph. 

The RAF and NATO air forces regularly use the area between Dolgellau and Machynlleth for advanced low-level training. 

Plane spotters regularly wait for the military aircraft to fly though the valleys to capture stunning photographs. 

Residents in North Wales have complained about low-flying aircraft training on the Mach Loop between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, such as this US Air Force F-15

Residents in North Wales have complained about low-flying aircraft training on the Mach Loop between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, such as this US Air Force F-15

Plane spotters often gather in the hills to watch the aircraft blast past at speeds of up to 500mph

Plane spotters often gather in the hills to watch the aircraft blast past at speeds of up to 500mph 

Residents are especially annoyed by the noise made by the fleet of new Beechcraft Texan T-6C turbo prop training aircraft

Residents are especially annoyed by the noise made by the fleet of new Beechcraft Texan T-6C turbo prop training aircraft

However, some local residents have complained about the number of aircraft using the area, often flying just a few hundred feet above the ground. 

These complaints have intensified during lockdown with people locked up inside their own homes.  

It is not even just small, agile fighter jets using the Mach Loop, as C-130 Hercules transporters have used the area. 

Local MP Liz Saville Roberts said hundreds of locals have signed an online petition to restrict the number of aircraft using the exercise area. 

Residents have complained about the RAF's newly introduced fleet of Beechcraft Texan aircraft which have a 'distinctively loud, buzzing sound'. 

One local complained 'it's like living next door to Biggles', while others said it was a 'ridiculous amount of noise pollution'. 

According to the petition, residents say the aircraft affect the quality of their lives: 'They cause emotional stress to sheep and cattle in the region and have been known to cause animals to miscarry and lose their young during birth. This in turn causes a loss of income to the farmers who struggle to earn a living in our region.

'They cause distress to locals and are a disaster waiting to happen with their highly dangerous "practice" manoeuvres around the mountains, valleys and directly above our villages and have been recorded publicly well below their intended altitudes.

Pilots use the narrow valleys for advanced training performing high-g manoeuvres

Pilots use the narrow valleys for advanced training performing high-g manoeuvres

'An initial amusement to tourists and visitors to our region who often ask how we put up with it and we answer that the RAF have simply ridden roughshod over locals for so long they think they can get away with it.

'The aircraft noise depreciates the value of property as people often do not want to be treated to this level of noise pollution and rightly so. For the home owner it is a worry as the value of their house is on the decline as a direct result.'  

Ms Saville Roberts told The Times: 'The issue is that they make a high-pitched and intrusive buzzing noise.

'These are narrow, rocky, mountainous valleys and it does appear that sometimes these aircraft are not aware there are people in these valleys.

An RAF spokesman said: 'The RAF is striving to ensure that disturbance is kept to an absolute minimum and noise pollution distributed as evenly as possible. However, we must continue to conduct essential flying training.'

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