Military Mountain Flying Training
Snowdonia Rotary MFTA
AAC 671 Squadron Lynx AH.7
January 2013 and January 2015
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Flying training in the Snowdonia Rotary - Mountain Flying Training Area (MFTA).
January 2015
Army Air Corp 671 (Training) Squadron based at AAC Middle Wallop deployed four Westland Lynx AH.7 helicopters to Caernarfon for their winter mountain flying training. Caernarfon a small civilian air field was chosen this year due to its close proximity to the MFTA. They appeared to be flying in pairs visiting numerous locations and multiple sorties each day within Snowdonia providing the weather was acceptable.
January 2013
Army Air Corp 671 (Training) Squadron deployed four Westland Lynx AH.7 helicopters to RAF Valley to enable aircrew to conduct mountain flying training around Snowdonia. At least four locations were selected in extremely remote areas, the locations chosen included two ridges and two tight bowls where unpredictable air turbulence makes flying challenging. This type of training is regularly conducted however on this occasion a heavy snow fall affected the training. Due to fly up from their base at Middle Wallop 200 miles (320 km) to the south on the Monday they had to postpone the transit north until Tuesday due to poor visibility. At least three waves were planned for Wednesday and Thursday, however on Thursday due to the threat of bad weather the following day the exercise was concluded Thursday lunchtime to allow the Lynx to recover to Middle Wallop that afternoon. |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ184 'B') at the foot of Trefyn in area x-ray within the Snowdonia Mountain Flying Training Area. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ184 'B') in MFTA known as 'x-ray'. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (ZD274 'M') in MFTA known as 'x-ray and in the last image passing some photographers. |
| Lynx AH.7 (ZD274 'M') at the foot of Trefyn in area x-ray within the Snowdonia Mountain Flying Training Area. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (ZD274 'M') of 671 Squadron. |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ184 'B') avoiding telephone lines within the Snowdonia Mountain Flying Training Area. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (ZD184 'B') of 671 Squadron. |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') descending to a snow covered landing spot in the Snowdonia Mountain Flying Training Area. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') of 671 Squadron during it's first of two sorties, the low cloud was as low as 200 feet AGL in the bowl and small lake. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') about to touch down a crew members is talking the pilot down. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') making its approach to a landing spot all crew members assist the pilot. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') again this time as 'Redcat 31' for its second sortie of the day with another pilot under instruction. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') made two approaches to a snowy landing spot. |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Left to right: Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I'). |
| Lynx AH.7 (XZ669 'I') departing at the end of its manoeuvres. |
