Correct callsign following Mayday or Pan

[Major Cleve Saville]

Looking for help from an ATCO:
Following a decleration of Maday or Pan would ATC expect the ATC callsign to be pre-fixed with MAYDAY or PAN for every transmission. CAP 413 implies only prefix your callsign Mayday or Pan when changing to the next frequency?

There seems to be some confusion about the correct format amongst a lot of TRE's so a clarification and a reference would be appreciated. Finally is the UK standard ICAO?

[Beejam]

I would NOT expect every subsequent call to be pre-fixed with mayday or pan.

In fact I've never heard it and think it would be a pain.

[Gonzo]

I think, as you say, that the book stipulates that MAYDAY or PAN should be used only for first contact on a new frequency, and then the ATCO should reply 'Roger MAYDAY/PAN'.

However, I've had a MAYDAY come in before and he said it in every transmission.....at least it ensured nobody was in any doubt about which aircraft it was and the seriousness of the situation (ie. don't interrupt!). To be honest I felt that the flight crew had far more important things to concern themselves with than CAP413! Didn't bother me at all.

[SirToppamHat]

Don't have the JSP at home, but suspect Beejam and Gonzo are both correct regarding the official line.

However, I would make the point as a mil controller that far from being a pain in the behind, the use of PAN as part of the C/S throughout the incident is not only something I have witnessed myself, but is actually quite useful, especially when dealing with large formations. Even with a 4-ship (eg Nitro 1 to 4), establishing exactly which C/S has the problem may not be as simple as it seems as they climb out from low-level (perhaps with the initial 'Urgency' call unheard). With a 'Distress' call, it seems to be less common - that said, most of the controllers I know are doing their level best to say as little as humanly possible on the R/T following a Mayday call as they do not wish to distract the crew from their no-doubt hectic FRC Drills.

I have also seen the use of a PAN prefix seemingly alert the crew to the need to downgrade their status (it's easy to see how a crew might forget to let the control agency know that the problem is sorted when a few moments earlier they may have been tightening straps and preparing for a swim!).

What I would say is that when dealing with ALL other agencies (eg for coordination, pre-notes etc), I would recommend using the PAN/MAYDAY prefix throughout and not only during transfer of control.

Just my thoughts...

STH

[Emergencies R Us]

Notwithstanding STHs excellent advice about the use of the prefix in certain circumstances, generally I would only expect to hear the pilot use PAN or Mayday on the initial transmission. I would then only use the prefix on my initial response and when I was advising the pilot of a transfer of control to another agency.

If you keep saying PAN and Mayday you're wasting words and time.

Safe flying:ok:

[Major Cleve Saville]

Thanks everyone, for the replies. CAP413 seems to be what the civillian ATCOS expect.