A pair of Merlin Mk512s from the Royal Danish Air Force’s (RDAF’s) Eskadrille 722, based at Karup, were welcome visitors last year to RAF Valley, Wales, to operate in the Snowdonia Mountain Flying Training Area (MFTA). Having flown through the series of valleys known as the ‘Mach Loop’ on their way to Anglesey, the Merlins touched down on August 29.
Although Denmark has plenty of hills, none is more than around 1,312ft (400m) high and they don’t require extensive crew co-operation to safely navigate and negotiate. North Wales is well suited for practising the skills needed for deployments to mountainous areas – such as northern Afghanistan, which hosted three RDAF Merlins in 2014 and 2015. Located in the northern half of the Snowdonia National Park, the MFTA is divided into five sections, named Victor through to Zulu. AFM met one of the Danish crews as they planned their sortie for the next day and it was decided we were all to head to section Whiskey.
The area includes an amphitheatre-like valley called Ffynnon Lloer, between two imposing mountains: Pen yr Ole Wen and Carnedd Dafydd. It’s ideal for helicopter crews to train in confined areas.
A bank of cloud surrounded the summit of the two mountains…
