Nick,
I see that you are saying "we all blame the pilot and not the controller" but I think that is a bit unfair. What most were reacting to is the automatic assumption made that ATC will cope easily with non standard phraseology.
I think we can all agree that this was an error of communication in which both the message transmitter (pilots) and the message reciever (ATC) failed to gain the same mental model of the situation.
That is the reason for standard phraseology I guess, and possibly the reason hat the report, as quoted by Nick, said:
“The root cause of the problem was that the crew was trained to use the word ’emergency’ rather than ’mayday,’” said ASRS,
Farmer1 & 212man:
Farmer asks
On the other hand, if we have an emergency, and we are not too bothered about any of the above, and have no particular desire to get our message across, we declare an emergency, or use some other non-standard phraseology?
NO is the answer I suggest.
Pan means you have a problem, request priority and assistance may be required.
Mayday means you have a problem that REQUIRES immediate aassistance and priority.
thus if you have "an emergency" you have these two to choose from. Simple. If you will not require any assistance or priority and judge that you will not have any need for them as you problem develops anytime between now and landing including getting diverted or held by ATC for other traffic, then do you have an emergency at all?
Example: a chip light, no secondaries. I suggest a Pan because it will get you priority to the landing (you wont get held circling endlessly waiting for other traffic). You will get assistance to the landing by ATC so you can concentrate on the cockpit issues. If you get secondaries, and have to land right here and now: upgrade to mayday and down you go. ATC are already on hieghtened alert due to your pan, thus react much faster to help you.