1.I have been an instructor teaching commercial students in the UK until recently, now flying for an airline and I do monitor 121.5 when over remote area's.
2.Practice pan's were certainly part of the UK r/t syllabus.
3.As huggy put it it can be readily cancelled in case of genuine emergency-call prefixed London centre, G- ABCD request practice pan- if busy told to go away.
4. Perhaps most importantly regularly requested on our flying notice board that London had requested practice pans from us for controller practice-incidentally giving my students valuable practice,obviously in the us the controllers need no practice.
5.Will you please listen-121.5 is the only freq in the uk that offers autotriangulation-we do regularly practice vdf from suitably equipped atc units but it is only with practice that atc can offer a quick response with a position fix with a position overlayed on aviation chart or ordinance survey, and believe me they are quick.
6.If it is too much bother to monitor 121.5 without getting upset by the occassional practice pan close to uk airspace then don't-but personally I have never flown with anyone that it seems to upset as much as it does some of you-I would rather the speedy and competant response from practice than any other.
Question-As it is airline pilots who seem to be complaining,why in the simulator do you practice,practice,practice emergency handling until it becomes second nature???-would you deny ATC the same benefit of practice.
[This message has been edited by straight&level (edited 23 April 2001).]