Re: Calling mayday and transponder codes
big.al,
My opinion you did the exact right thing. You were close enough to an un-controlled airport to safely land, IT WAS important that you broadcast on the CAF that you had an emergency and were making a straight in approach so that anyone else in the pattern would get out of your way.
"The most important thing in any emergency is to FLY THE AIRPLANE."
Selecting 7700 (emergency) in your transponder sets off an alarm in the radar rooms. If you are VFR and not being worked by ATC, your data tag displays a V (limited data block which means you are VFR), and your altitude. If you are being worked by ATC we will have your tail number, sometimes your type acft, altitude, and airspeed in the data block. Selecting 7700 will FLASH EM in your data block, on any controllers radar screen that can see your transponder.
Depending on the situation and IF you have time, AND you are squawking 7700, it would be helpful to the radar facility that you broadcast your situation on the EMERGENCY Frequency, this will allow ATC to dispatch the appropriate assistance. I guarantee that since 9/11, someone WILL hear you and WILL respond, it will either be an air traffic facility or another acft (usually an air carrier up at flight levels).
In the event that you are unable to declare an emergency on the emergency frequency, and you did squawk 7700, it would be helpful that you either broadcasted on the emergency frequency after you were down, for someone to relay to the nearest air traffic facility that you are safely on the ground or that you need assistance, or to call FSS or the nearest air traffic facility on a telephone or a cell phone.
If you squawked 7700 and air traffic control saw it and watched you go down they will immediately call the local airport and probably the local sherriff department (Police) to have someone search for you just in case you did crash. ATC will also try to get another acft to look for you and ask if anyone can see you going down so that they can follow you and report whether or not you crashed.
Mike
FWA