A PILOT from Greenock who handed over the police helicopter to the crew who died in the Clutha crash has told a Fatal Accident Inquiry he never experienced a low fuel warning in flight.

Local man George David Young flew the aircraft in the day shift before the tragedy in November 2013, which killed 10 people including Inverclyde police officer Kirsty Nelis.

Mr Young was asked by Sean Smith QC, on behalf of the Crown, if he had ever experienced a low fuel warning when in flight.

The pilot replied: "Never."

He gave the same answer when Mr Smith then asked about low fuel cautions, stating he had experienced it in a training simulator during an exercise held after the accident.

Mr Smith asked if such a test had been done in flight but Mr Young said it 'wouldn't be safe to do so'.

On the night of the tragedy five low fuel warnings went off and were acknowledged before the aircraft crashed on to the roof of the pub in Glasgow city centre.

Mr Young, 50, explained how he would typically arrive at the heliport beside the River Clyde around 7am for a 7.30 start and be at the base by the River Clyde before the police observers.

The hearing recounted the events of the day shift on November 29 2013.

The FAI heard it began with a flight from Glasgow to Inverness before the helicopter was refuelled to search for a missing person.

It arrived at Inverness with 160kg of fuel and departed on the search with 410kg before returning to Inverness an hour and 35 minutes later with 160kg of fuel.

The aircraft was then refuelled to 430kg before departing to Glasgow, where it was refuelled to 400kg - the recommended take-off level.

The Fatal Accident Inquiry has heard how the aircraft was calculated to burn 200kg of fuel an hour.

Mr Young said he would make fuel calculations roughly every 20-30 minutes working on a basis of having 100kg minimum in the tank, allowing for eight kg of 'unusable fuel'.

He added this was because the minimum amount of fuel to land with - established by aircraft operator Bond - had changed to 90kg, having been 85kg at the time of the crash.

Mr Young also said it would be standard practice to issue a mayday call if a pilot had eaten into the reserve fuel.

No mayday was made on the night of the disaster and the main tank was found with 76kg after the crash.

Pilot David Traill, PC Nelis, of Inverkip, her colleague PC Tony Collins and Clutha bar customers Mark O’Prey, Gary Arthur, John McGarrigle, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, Samuel McGhee and Joe Cusker all died as a result of the crash.

The inquiry before Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull continues.