The Puma CAAP programme was a Godsend.
The Components Advanced Ageing Programme was a joint effort between Aerospatial, The French Army and the Royal Air Force to prove that the gearboxs could run well in excess of their 800 hrs. overhaul life. This was to enable the manufacturer to place the aircraft on the civil market where 1,800 hrs. TBO was the norm.
The aircraft, XW203, was required to fly 100 hrs. a month. At certain periods the gearbox would be lifted and replaced with another that was part of the program that had been inspected for wear. The normal ST98 rate was about 30 hrs. a month so finding things for it to do was a bit of a challenge.
Machrihanish for kippers, at the same time take one of our airman on leave to the Hebrides and land him on the beach a few hundred yards from his parents house. Regular trips to Gutersloh to load up with Deutsche Sekt for formal and semi-formal occasions; we had an 'arrangement' with the blokes in the portcullis hats at Manson.
We even had some take it to Aberdeen for job interviews.
Unfortunately on a bog standard training flight it decided to attempt a barrel roll just after take off from a field. It only managed 80% of it but luckily the crew waded out of it although it was burning quite badly.