Fortyodd,
Not trying to be argumentative here.....
They did not start with full fuel, they started with 400 Kgs.
Indicated....Actual.....how do we know the 400 Kgs was the actual amount of fuel on board?
Did they rely upon the Aircraft fuel gauge system, does the 135 fuel tank have Internal Markings that can be seen through the Filler for comparison?
My point being....if there was a Fuel Quantity system problem....would that have provided for less fuel than thought?
Not that it would matter in the final analysis really as the real questions that need to be answered is whether the Caution and Warnings operated correctly and if the Supply Tanks Fuel decreasing Contents were being displayed.
Perhaps after the AAIB Final Report comes out.....the Police Operators will take a very honest review of their decisions not to stage Fuel at out lying locations so that their Crews can timely access to Fuel during Operations.....particularly Night Operations when the choices for fuel become quite scarce.
I wonder what the cost of a fuel Stash or two would compare like to the cost of a Crew and helicopter.
Had there been someplace this Crew could have gone for Fuel other than the Heliport....might they have done so and not found themselves in this predicament?