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Since his graduation from Manchester University, Chris Wright has been a design engineer in the aerospace sector. He began his career at Lucas Aerospace in Birmingham, where he worked on the design of jet engine control systems, and he now works for Wolverhampton-based United Technologies designing flight controls.
Wright tells PE about his hobby of taking photographs of low-flying military aircraft.
How did you get into this hobby?
I received a digital SLR camera and a basic telephoto lens for my 40th birthday. After taking what I considered to be pretty good photographs of aircraft at air shows and visits to airports, I fancied trying something a bit different.
When I was a child my family would often visit North Wales on holiday and I remembered watching RAF Hawk jets twisting through the valleys. I conducted a bit of internet research to see whether the area was still used by the military for low-level flying training. I found out about the Mach Loop – the nickname given to a series of valleys to the south of Snowdonia National Park. It is one of several low-fly areas in the UK set aside for military air crews to hone their skills.
In this area there are several vantage points where, for a relatively short climb, one is rewarded with dramatic views of fast jets as they zoom past at about 80m above the valley floor. After paying my first visit four years ago I was hooked.
What does it involve?
The experience is very different to watching an air show. There is no timetable and you never know what is going to fly through. It’s a bit like fishing in that you have to sit there and hope for a bite!
Thankfully I’ve never had a ‘blank day’. Some days you may only get four or five aircraft fly through. Other days you may be kept quite busy by not just the local trainer Hawks based at RAF Valley, but also frontline jets such as the Typhoon and Tornado. US Air Force F15 Eagles also fly across from their base in Suffolk to train in North Wales, and large military transports like the Hercules and the A400M Atlas visit the area regularly.
Why do you enjoy it?
I’ve always loved aircraft, and this is witnessing what aircraft were made to do. It’s pretty amazing seeing the skill of the pilots as they wind their way up the valley. It is also very relaxing to spend the day surrounded by some of the best scenery the UK has to offer.
What is the best experience you’ve had?
The main thing is capturing that photograph where the light is just right to show off the aircraft and the surrounding countryside to its fullest potential. There are groups on Facebook where I post my photographs and I have been approached on several occasions by air crew who wish to have high-resolution copies. The air crew certainly appreciate the fact that there are people taking photographs of them and it is not uncommon to find the back-seater waving or giving a thumbs up. The pilots don’t do this – they are far too busy piloting the aircraft!
Has your hobby helped your career?
There is a feeling of pride when I see some of the aircraft because they contain equipment that I have designed. One example is the Typhoon: back in the late 1990s my first role as a design engineer was in the team that designed the controller for the afterburner of this aircraft. I was very pleased when I finally managed to get a good shot of one of these jets banking in the winter sun.
Do you have an interesting hobby? Email liz.wells@caspianmedia.com