Certainly flying the loop when it is 'actice' would be dumb. But I do not believe that was the OP's intent. Remove the possiblity of collision and the simple avoiding the terrain issue is easy - in a light aircraft.
Exactly.
I've flown in mountainous areas in South Africa many times before - the general flying area we used for PPL training was in 2 valleys with mountains up to 4,000ft, and I'm not just a "simple ppl" either. I hold a full CPL/MEIR so I ain't stupid when it comes to flying and don't take unnecessary risks either, but every once in a while I like to do something a bit more fun than just flying in straight lines everywhere.
I'm sure the RAF could spare 20 minutes or so for someone else to have a go too as it is after all outside a restricted/danger area so they don't own or control it. If the military want to control who flies in that part of the sky, then they should make it an official danger/restricted area - most of it isn't even in the Valley AAIA.
I would have no intention of doing it on a weekday when it is likely to be busy. I'd also fly over it high at first to have a look at the route and any potential obstacles, then take it down lower to what I considered safe. I'd hardly be skimming through the valley at 100ft, I doubt if Id even be low enough for the low flying rules to even be an issue and I'd be at an absolute max of 130kts so anticipating corners and pancaking into the hillside is hardly an issue at those speeds.
So if Valley or Swanwick Mil would not be interested, who would be best to advise that I was doing it should the RAF/USAF decide to come though on a weekend ?.
Whilst I thank the RAF guys for their input, rather than thinking of flying it at 400kts at 100 ft or less as you fly it, think about flying it at 6-700ft at 130kts max and aside from a collision risk, which if done on a weekend is probably no worse than flying between the Luton/Stansted and Heathrow zones on a weekend, where everyone is flying round between 1,000-2,000ft then it isn't such a crazy idea at all.
