Emergency keeping ATC busy; what will you do in that situation?

[aditya104]

When an aircraft has an emergency that requires constant two-way communication with the ATC, what are pilots of other aircraft supposed to do if they are approaching the aerodrome or in a traffic pattern at that aerodrome?

What regulations are relevant here?

This question came to my mind when I was reading Air controller during emergency landing: 'I know that's BS' (http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/481979-air-controller-during-emergency-landing-i-know-thats-bs.html).

[Tarq57]

I didn't read the whole thread. Didn't need to.
Just read the first three or four replies.

Nothing in that thread is particularly relevant to your question.

What I'd expect to hear in another country, where good r/t is adhered to is something like:

"Pan pan pan (or mayday mayday mayday), X Tower, XXX 5912, smoke in the cockpit, request a full emergency."

"XXX5912 roger mayday."

(Tower broadcast) "All stations, all stations, stop transmitting, mayday."

At that point anyone else in the pattern or the control zone shuts up, until advised otherwise. The tower controller will issue holding instructions to each aircraft in turn, as necessary, in between calls dealing with the emergency. If the emergency is complex, serious, or likely to be prolonged, other traffic (or possibly emergency traffic, depending on the nature of the emergency and workload of the crew) will be transferred to another frequency.

In other words, if it happens, don't call us. We'll call you. Comply with the last clearance received, hold if necessary.

[Capt Fathom]

An aircraft with a problem i.e. mayday/pan, will rarely need the constant attention of ATC.

Yes that aircraft will have priority, but ATC will still sequence other aircraft in/around the aircraft with the problem.

So basically, life goes on. You may get in ahead of the aircraft with the problem, or you may get ginned around and have to follow after a delay.

Luck of the draw on the day.

[mattyj]

In NZ we have a rule specific to that sort of situation if you're manouvering for the approach in ENR..in Australia please yourself I guess..fly racetracks until you're low on gas then declare your own emergency :)

[Homesick-Angel]

I heard this happen two nights ago during storms in Melbourne. Many aircraft were in a hold, and given new sequence times. The ac with the "possible emergency" situation was simply slotted ahead and through the other traffic as soon as the worst if the cells had passed . Apart from that business as usual..( except for the poor buggers trying to land at Avalon with 22-49kts of xwind) :eek: