Originally Posted by
RickNRoll
I was on that flight and went up to the cockpit and helped the pilots with the emergency. They managed to calm down and reduce the alert to PAN.
No, please no false modesty. YOU helped them calm down. You're the hero.
Discussion around whether mayday was warranted gives me the sh1ts. I've had in-flight emergencies (disclosure: private pilot only), they can be scary, the decision to declare mayday belongs to the pilot, not the baying press who have 20/20 hindsight. If people are to be hung out to dry over calling mayday, what a bad thing that is. PIC was between the devil and the deep blue sea with one engine only, >140 souls utterly dependent on his skills. Who am I or anyone else to pass judgement? BTW the crew did a great job.