Originally Posted by
willadvise
A little history for this one. Australia used to have MED1 and MED2 categories. If pilot called with a medical emergency we would simply put a MED1 in the label and the flight data record and you would get priority. A few years back they powers that be realised this was not consistent with ICAO so it was changed to MEDEVAC and HOSP categories. We continued to treat pilot declared medical emergencies as before by putting MEDEVAC in the flight data record and giving you priority. A little while latter the powers that be, came to release that this was not appropriate as it doesn't meet the definitions of a MEDEVAC flight so we were told that you have to get the pilots to call PAN before any priority could be given. We were told that this is how it happens in the rest of the world. This is where we are today. I had hoped that after a little while of "incidents" appearing in the news etc, and the bull**** of having to ask the "PAN declared checklist questions", that sanity would prevail and the airlines ask for it to be changed back to something sensible.
So Keith, I find you calling Australian ATC "the pedants society" offensive in the extreme. I don't get to choose which rules I comply with. Every thing I say, click on the computer, and write down is recorded and can be used against me. Can you please let me know which rules you disregard and which airline you fly for so I can avoid it in the future.
Regards
Will
Hi Will
I’m not sure if you’re serious or feigning indignation. I wasn’t having a personal go at any one controller, I understand the rules are set far higher up than the coal face – so don’t take the pedant’s society comment personally, it’s more of a go at the general nature of the ATC rules in Australia.
Anyhow, thank you for aptly confirming my assertion that in Australia, you cannot declare medical priority on airline operations without a pan call.
Don’t worry, I’ll blithely comply with all the unique readback requirements (decend via star – for the 14th time, leaving FL xxx), and wear my high vis vest, have three points of contact while ascending or descending stairs, make sure my ASIC is not upside down, and all those other important rules that I don’t know how other countries survive without...