PUMA out of Gas?
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,580
Received 436 Likes
on
230 Posts
Sounds like a non-event. 
vecvechookattack
Wasn't it a Navy Sea Harrier that landed on a container ship after running short of fuel! I also know of a RN Wessex which had and engine flameout as it crossed the fence in NI followed by the other just after it touched down
This crew - while a little red faced landed safely and perhaps their only problem was not being able to tell someone where they were and what they were doing.
HF
Wasn't it a Navy Sea Harrier that landed on a container ship after running short of fuel! I also know of a RN Wessex which had and engine flameout as it crossed the fence in NI followed by the other just after it touched down
This crew - while a little red faced landed safely and perhaps their only problem was not being able to tell someone where they were and what they were doing.
HF
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Home
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was assuming, given the number of RN aircraft that have run out of gas, that vec was being ironic/humerous, but since it's him, you are probably right that he's just being an arse.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Down West
Age: 49
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I notice the Daily Record article states that the crew remained with the aircraft overnight. I didn't realise that there is now a Wester Ross Hilton Hotel, and it allows military aircraft to stay overnight.
27 minutes worth of fuel? That will be the tanks half full in Softy then?
27 minutes worth of fuel? That will be the tanks half full in Softy then?
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Desert mainly, occasionally arctic and rarely jungle
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Makes a change, it's normally the Chinnies that run out of fuel!
Glad they made they right decision to land on - good on them.
Glad they made they right decision to land on - good on them.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sitting on the toilet of Europe.... the UK
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fuel gauge reads near empty 
...Put big piece of metal on terra firma before gravity takes affect and noisy thing plus big spinny thing goes quiet and stops.
people inside metal object step out to see another day!
Sounds like a happy ending to me!
...Put big piece of metal on terra firma before gravity takes affect and noisy thing plus big spinny thing goes quiet and stops.people inside metal object step out to see another day!
Sounds like a happy ending to me!
Last edited by Faithless; 29th Mar 2010 at 20:51. Reason: For being a spelling biff!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Well, Lincolnshire
Age: 69
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bodmin Moor, early '70's, Whirlwind on SAR from Chivenor. Weather dog, as usual. "Hmm" says Bob Jones "Getting a bit low on the go-juice". "Ah" says Kip the crewman "Just passed a garage". "OK" says Bob "We'll land on and see if they have Pink Paraffin". They do. Hover taxy in to the pump and 'Bob's your Uncle'.
Bit smoky, but it does the trick.
Buggers wouldn't pass on the Green Shield Stamps though.
Bit smoky, but it does the trick.
Buggers wouldn't pass on the Green Shield Stamps though.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds more like 'Puma not out of Gas?'
If my understanding of Puma fuel minima are still correct, the crew made the correct decision by landing as they approached their fuel minima, having worked out that it was unlikely that they could make their destination, as they are trained to do. Had they not, and pressed on, the circumstances may have been markedly different, and may have justified the over-reaction from the emergency services and the Daily Record. This aspect is strange if ATC had been informed that the aircraft was landing - it was neither overdue, nor in difficulty - helicopters do that sort of thing.
Well done the crew (and for staying with the aircraft) - 'they learned about flying from that', as Wg Cdr Spry used to say!
Good to see the Daily Record had their aviation analyst on the case!
If my understanding of Puma fuel minima are still correct, the crew made the correct decision by landing as they approached their fuel minima, having worked out that it was unlikely that they could make their destination, as they are trained to do. Had they not, and pressed on, the circumstances may have been markedly different, and may have justified the over-reaction from the emergency services and the Daily Record. This aspect is strange if ATC had been informed that the aircraft was landing - it was neither overdue, nor in difficulty - helicopters do that sort of thing.
Well done the crew (and for staying with the aircraft) - 'they learned about flying from that', as Wg Cdr Spry used to say!
Good to see the Daily Record had their aviation analyst on the case!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Falmouth
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was assuming, given the number of RN aircraft that have run out of gas, that vec was being ironic/humerous
Run out of fuel...??? I've never been there but only by pure chance and a little bit of luck. Its an occupational hazard when we take our aircraft to the edge of the envelope.... it has happened before and it will happen again... thankfully this time they all walked away from the scene and hopefully the next crew will also have the fortune to walk away.
Somewhat embarrassing, it's true, but not half as bad as the Puma crew in
Portugal (or was it Spain?) who took a detour to see a bridge some years back...
Portugal (or was it Spain?) who took a detour to see a bridge some years back...
Run out of fuel...??? I've never been there but only by pure chance and a little bit of luck. Its an occupational hazard when we take our aircraft to the edge of the envelope....
What! Not too sure what happened with this particular Puma, but in all of my 8,000 hrs of military flying I've never relied upon luck/chance to prevent me from running out of fuel.
