First of all Few Cloudy is a highly experienced aviator; now more of the pipe and slippers brigade than the Top Gun boys up there today.
Back to the idea of alerting other links in the chain to a imminent problem, achieving the correct level of response, and not diverting much needed agencies from, perhaps, more pressing matters.
I've heard from many correspondants on Prune that a PAN outside UK achieved the square root of f'all. OK the wind was bad in UK; it was the same in Belgium, Germany, Holland etc. So, is this response true? Is it an internationally recognised cry for help? I've never had to use it, so I'm asking.
Someone mentioned the USA. There is the fine video re-enactment of the B707 from S.America who ran out of fuel into JFK. Started off with too little in the first place, considering the Wx. but......... He missed the first time and went around. Only very late in the scenario did he get ATC's attention with a low fuel call. ATC's response afterwards is he should have shouted loud and clear what his endurance was much earlier. They would have sorted it out.
OK, USA is different to here. But if it is true about my PAN question above, it is different all over Europe. Not a good thing in an international business. Whatever the case, I'm sure when the hairs start creeping on the back of your neck it is time to make yourself well understood.
Perhaps some of our overseas continental colleagues can enlighten us. Meanwhile, what was anyone up there doing without heaps of motion lotion? Surely the whole of UK and near continent gave you no where to run to. It happened once before, with a crash in TS territory, that they ran low on fuel and options because they started with close to minimum going into a large TS region. Being expected & applauded to make safe diversion decisions is one thing; making life easier for yourself before you enter the lion's den is another. I'm not casting aspersions, just curious what people's policy was today. I trust company pressure was cast aside. I was up & down in the gales of last week, and lots of 'go juice' made for a less stressful time. And I am glad to by the fire today and not proving man is sometimes mighter than nature.
Who was it who said "the art of being a skillfull aviator was to avoid getting into the situations to need your skills."
Now, what about a good call for "where's the nearest pump and do they give stamps?"