2x Pan calls about 5 years apart on different machines but both within 8 min flying time of home field, both on the way back in.
The first when trainingin an R44, a failed electric auxiliary fuel pump. Keeping low-power setting on te cyclic, the mechanical fuel pump was adequate and the engine didn't miss a beat. ATC were great, I kept it high and used an autorotation profile for the final, as I was not sur that height, once lost, would be easily recovered. Power recovery landing.
Now I realise this was not as worrying as it seemed at that level of knowledge / training. ATC were great and no-one suggested that a Pan was an over-reaction.
Second was an EC120 which developed increasing electrical problems over three minutes. Generator warning that would not reset. Gen off, unnecessary load reduced. Then a battery voltage drop, followed 30 sec later by a Master Caution Electric; now i am confused as to what is happening and decided to tell someone. I declared PAN, intending autorotation approach, 2 miles to run, 120knt, 1400ft. This is what happened next:
ATC: [EC120] You are No1; cleared to land, any surface. Wind 260 at 12. One in the circuit.
Me: No1, cleared to land. Will use Area 1 passing to the right of the crash truck. Visual R22 downwind in the circuit. Commencing autorotation in 30 seconds.
[Fresh call]
R22: XXXX Downwind, I can turn inside the EC120 for 26H
ATC: (very calmly) XXXX that's very interesting, thanks for letting me know; and you are still No2 to the 120 with declared PAN.
Well, it made me laugh. And "Thank You" to ATC for making things easy for me!
Turned out to be a failure of the electric controle box. Quite expensive.