I say, help!
Or do I say mayday? Or would I like to declare an emergency?
Delighted to see my post 1642 still standing on page 83 of the SF thread has sparked off such an entertaining and freewheeling slagging match on this less inhibited thread. I mentioned that foreign pilots entering US airspace may have difficulty with ATC...and are reluctant to use those useful words "say again...." or "unable".
On the same page 83, Captain Emad was quite rude to me on this subject, but the Heavy Heavy followed shortly after with a truly wonderful post, number 1657...."I'm meek, I'm meek, I'm meek!"
So there you go. I have as PPL IR in the US, found ATC always helpful. Can you bear another anecdote?
In a rented 172, over water (notice how the engine runs rough over water) while enjoying enroute flight following, the controller asked kindly if I was aware I had gone off track. "Well," I replied, having just noticed that the right hand (gravity fed) tank gauge was reading empty while the left said full, "I may be having a problem with fuel...."
The ATC came back immediately with the eager response "Would you like to declare an emergncy?"
I demurred, undecided what to do. "Would you like me to vector you to the nearest airport?" (nice plain concise English, that.)
"That might be a good idea." We agreed Tallahasse would be nearest. The controller then said "Descend to 4,000 feet"......(I was at 11,500, being over water.....)
"Negative," I replied. "If I am going to become a glider I want to start as high as possible!" "Yes Ma'am" he replied. "We have cleared your entire route from 12,000 feet to the ground!" and so held my hand all the way to Tallahassee where I was met by the fire brigade, etc etc....and of course it was only a gauge that was US after all.
I love those guys! I could, if you wanted to hear it, tell a different story about a Birmingham controller.....