Watch: Plane fans are loopy about low-flying fighters in Mid Wales

Plane buffs have dubbed the region the 'Mach Loop' because it is the perfect place to spot military jets.

And that means not just spotting them, but watching them at close quarters as they practise their spectacular low-flying manoeuvres.

The RAF and US Air Force use a set of valleys in our region for pilots to practise.

A growing number of visitors – some from as far afield as Australia – have been flocking to the area to watch the planes fly as low as 250ft above ground level, giving a welcome boost to the pubs and guest houses around the area.

The tourism trade is being helped by a website that tells enthusiasts when the flypasts are likely to happen each day.

"I love the Mach Loop," says Beverley Thompson, a sales supervisor from Oswestry.

Beverley says she loves to watch the planes from a vantage point near Dinas Mawddwy.

"There's a car park at the bottom, and you can see people climbing up," she says.

"You can sit on the mountain and the planes are actually below you, it is amazing," she says.

"It is so low, and it's the noise I suppose, it's fantastic.

"My dad was always into planes, so I suppose it's followed from that."

The Mach Loop is a set of valleys, situated between Dolgellau in the north, and Machynlleth in the south, which are regularly used for low-level flight training. To the south of the loop is an area called Tactical Training Area 7T, in which, at specified times, the aircraft may fly as low as 100 feet.

Gordon Holt has been running the Gwesty Minffordd Hotel and Guest House for 15 years, and says there has been a significant increase in people coming to see the planes in the last couple of year.

"Not a week goes by without somebody coming along," says Mr Holt.

"They come from all over the world, including Japan, the USA and Australia," says Mr Holt.

"A lot of the people who come over are into their planes, and they know that is as close as they are going to get."

As a general rule, the pilots do their low-level training Monday to Friday throughout the year, but never at weekends or bank holidays. The RAF publishes a timetable of when the Tactical Training Areas may be in use, although Mr Holt says this is of limited use, and most people simply turn up in the hope of seeing the planes.

"It really is pot luck," he says. "Your best option is to just pick a suitable date, and just go and hope for the best, sit on the hillside, enjoy the amazing views and general chit-chat with like-minded people.

"Many go away with great memories and photos of their times spent on the hillsides, however many go away totally dismayed at not seeing any action at all, regardless of the time of year or weather conditions."

Low flying is a vital skill for military air crew, and the RAF uses various areas of the UK for low-level flight training. Britain is split into 18 low-flying areas, or LFAs, numbered 1-19, although there is no LFA15). The Mach Loop is located within LFA7, which covers the whole of Wales, except for a small section in the north-east of Powys, which is within LFA9.

Sightings have included the F-15 Eagles, which form part of the US Air Force's 493d Fighter Squadron (ALL COR), that are referred to as the Grim Reapers. Both the British and American air forces practice fast manoeuvres in close proximity to the canyon walls, to teach pilots who to fly in mountainous regions without radar detection.

Chief executive of Mid Wales Tourism, Val Hawkins, says: "The Mach Loop attracts military aircraft enthusiasts from across the UK as they are able to get a close up view of these aircraft from ideal vantage points as they fly at high speed through our stunning valleys and mountainous landscape.

"We have no official figures about the number of enthusiasts attracted but undoubtedly many will stay in accommodation and visit restaurants, public houses and shops while they are here, which supports the local economy.

"It has to be stressed, however, that it's not only military aircraft that can be viewed in the sky over Mid Wales. Apart from the abundant wildlife, including red kites, ospreys and other rare birds of prey, the region has some of the best night skies in the world for stargazing, which accounts for a large number of visitors."

You can find out when the jets will be flying by visiting www.gov.uk/government/publications/operational-low-flying-training-timetable.