To PAN or not to PAN that is the question!
Heard on Melbourne Centre an aircraft requiring emergency services on standby for its arrival into Tulla because it might have suffered a blown tyre on departure. The crew were adamant that they were not declaring anything but they were not sure how the aircraft would handle on landing. ATC went through the process of asking for POB and DGs and if the aircraft would be vacating the runway on landing.
In this situation why would you not just declare a PAN call? For ATC it would make it easier as they have a set of procedures they could follow, the aircraft gets priority and emergency services are put on standby automatically.
I am wondering whether flight management is being influenced by media coverage or the potential for a Flt Ops bollocking because of the attention it will bring to the organisation? Or does it stem from sim checks where CC will consider that a PAN call was inappropriate for certain scenarios?
IMHO there is no trigger point for a PAN call but if you are requiring emergency services on standby then you might as well use all the available resources.