I have had the emergency services turn out for me on two occassions.
1) Townsville - unexplained vibration after TO in a C402 - 6 POB.
Me: XXX request immediate return to RWY YY due vibration
Tower: Do you wish to declare an emergency?
Me: Negative
Tower: Well I'm going to get the appliances out to meet you anyway
Landed uneventfully with an escort of fire appliances - lights ablaze ! I guess it can get really boring being an airport firey!
2) Enroute VFR in a C210 (2 POB) YBTL - YRED. Diverted to Gladstone after total electrical failure. I rang Briefing on my mobile phone to ask if they could arrange for someone on the ground to take a look at my nosewheel to confirm it was down before landing. Went through the usual "
Do you wish to declare an emergency" / "
No - not at this time" routine.
Imagine my surprise when I arrived over the top of YGLA to see flashing lights everywhere! Fire brigade, ambulance, police !!!!!
Imagine my embarassment when I pulled the power back to slow down prior to pumping the wheels down - and my electrical power was miraculously restored (loose wire on the alternator - power reduction moved the engine slightly - wire made a connection - alternator functioned again). Wheels went down normally - three greens lit up!
Interestingly, the emergency services could not access the tarmac cause nobody had a key to the gates. They had had an exercise only a few weeks earlier that had gone really well - someone had unlocked the gates in preparation for the exercise.
The fire brigade guys assurred me that had I crashed they would have knocked the gates over with the fire truck !!!!
Dr