Pumas over Paisley

[Marham69]

15 SEP 12:55Z

2 Pumas in close echelon starboard went over Paisley Abbey at about 600', heading SE. An extremely nice one, lads , especially on this day... with the most perfect blue sky, cloudless and windless weather.

Reason for post? Although we regularly view the fish head SAR Sea King from HMS Gannet (Prestwick)... rarely if ever do we catch sight of the Puma, Chinook etc in these parts.

Assumption - Pumas were exiting Glasgow Airport on their travels SE. Any further info?

[fallmonk]

I saw them as well about 14.00, altho I thought it was one merlin and one puma !
To be fair am probably wrong , saw them at last min on M8

[renfrew]

Yes,I thought it was a Merlin and a Puma heading for Glasgow Airport and then a lone Puma later in the afternoon.
Very unusual sight up here.

[Iainbigyan]

I was at a funeral yesterday at the Linn Crematorium, Glasgow. It was a young SAC (Robert Fleeting). As he was serving with the RAF, a military funeral was held. The RAF arranged a flypast by two helicopters at the crematorium, at 1406hrs. There was, I am sure, a SAR Sea King from HMS Gannet, and what looked like a Merlin (might have been a Puma).

[Nick_H]

Could be related..... I saw 2 Merlins in close formation over Sheffield yesterday at about 11am. Weather was very poor with a pretty low cloud base.

[Marham69]

That will almost certainly be the (sad) story, Nick. Times and direction coincide. Thanks, Nick.

There was or is a large TA exercise underway in the South West of Scotland - based upon West Freugh. Our Helicoptor friends may well have been up here on a temporary basis.

M69

[Marham69]

Correction. Apology to 'Nick'.

That should read 'Iainbigyan'.

M69

[Iainbigyan]

I am led to believe that some of the personnel from RAF Benson flew up to Glasgow by helicopter.

[6nandneutral]

Interesting, my home town is Paisley and my first aircraft type as a qualified operator was the Puma.