7700 or mayday/pan
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Australia the Awesome
Posts: 251
7700 or mayday/pan
Looking for some input from some ATCO’s.
From another thread in Tech log, an ATCO has chimed in with this below.
Mayday Call Query
Any Aussie ATCO’s care to comment on the use of 7700 vs MAYDAY/PAN to get attention?
Cheers
From another thread in Tech log, an ATCO has chimed in with this below.
Mayday Call Query
Originally Posted by Ian W
As someone who has been at the other end of such calls - after or during the normal aviate navigate ... select 7700 and that will get _everyone's_ attention ATC sectors will start making sure that their aircraft are not in your way and will also stop pestering the sector controlling you to lower workload. Then do not hesitate to make your emergency call as a MAYDAY - as people have said you can downgrade it later; do avoid the mealy mouthed "we are declaring an emergency" as that is effectively meaningless. 7700 and MAYDAY and you will get everyone's assistance. If the adrenaline level subsequently drops and things are controllable you can always downgrade. But there have been many occasions when relatively small things have escalated - so wake everyone up - no-one in ATC will complain.
Cheers
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Age: 54
Posts: 85
Originally Posted by Roj approved
Looking for some input from some ATCO’s.
From another thread in Tech log, an ATCO has chimed in with this below.
Mayday Call Query
Any Aussie ATCO’s care to comment on the use of 7700 vs MAYDAY/PAN to get attention?
Cheers
From another thread in Tech log, an ATCO has chimed in with this below.
Mayday Call Query
Any Aussie ATCO’s care to comment on the use of 7700 vs MAYDAY/PAN to get attention?
Cheers
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: AUS
Posts: 200
The whole “declaring an emergency” seems to be one of those American things.
“Mayday Mayday Mayday.....(details)”
“Are you declaring an emergency?”
“Wilco (sic) we are, roll the trucks”
Company policy where I work is that the decision to use the P or the M word is at the discretion of the PIC. For example I have had to do a flap zero landing into a CTAF with a long runway and made neither call because LDR was much less than that available, and actually the aircraft can be operated with the flap system MEL as long as everywhere is long enough. Whereas a Flap Zero Landing into an airport where you had to defactor the landing distance in order to get in requires a call, as would a flap zero caused by a hydraulic failure.
“Mayday Mayday Mayday.....(details)”
“Are you declaring an emergency?”
“Wilco (sic) we are, roll the trucks”
Company policy where I work is that the decision to use the P or the M word is at the discretion of the PIC. For example I have had to do a flap zero landing into a CTAF with a long runway and made neither call because LDR was much less than that available, and actually the aircraft can be operated with the flap system MEL as long as everywhere is long enough. Whereas a Flap Zero Landing into an airport where you had to defactor the landing distance in order to get in requires a call, as would a flap zero caused by a hydraulic failure.
Eidolon
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Some hole
Posts: 1,996
Originally Posted by Lead Balloon
Squawk 7700 AND Mayday on Area AND activate ELT/PLB.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 3,276
If you have a PLB/ELT that was designed and constructed in the 21st century, and you’re broadcasting your mayday on the Area frequency, activating the ELT/PLB will not “drown out” anything.
It’s “dumb” to risk it or you being disabled after e.g. a forced landing, such that your precise location is never sent to the satellites.
It’s “dumb” to risk it or you being disabled after e.g. a forced landing, such that your precise location is never sent to the satellites.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Melbourne
Age: 68
Posts: 775
Originally Posted by markis10
Either action will trigger an distressfa, one having the benefit of also alerting other aircraft that there is priority traffic on channel while 7700 results in extra support for ATCO. You cannot cancel a mayday or 7700 but you can cancel or downgrade the distressfa. Doing both removes any doubt.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 8,423
Mayday is immediate threat to life. Pan = emergency is one step below that which can be upgraded or downgraded if necessary.
When I had smoke in the cockpit after take off, we declared an emergency. ATC told everyone to go around and we made a very neat, tight low level circuit and landed. Couldn't have been simpler thanks to ATC.
When I had smoke in the cockpit after take off, we declared an emergency. ATC told everyone to go around and we made a very neat, tight low level circuit and landed. Couldn't have been simpler thanks to ATC.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 8,423
We transmitted emergency because we started with a burning smell on the take off roll. Called emergency at about 300 ft. As the aircraft was just out of maintenance we were unsure whether this was a transitory phenomenon due to some form of burnoff of residue or what?
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sydney
Age: 57
Posts: 1,543
Originally Posted by Sunfish
We transmitted emergency because we started with a burning smell on the take off roll. Called emergency at about 300 ft. As the aircraft was just out of maintenance we were unsure whether this was a transitory phenomenon due to some form of burnoff of residue or what?
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: down under
Posts: 402
Originally Posted by Sunfish
We transmitted emergency because we started with a burning smell on the take off roll. Called emergency at about 300 ft. As the aircraft was just out of maintenance we were unsure whether this was a transitory phenomenon due to some form of burnoff of residue or what?
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
By 500 ft we were turning downwind to land ASAP. Calling mayday was superfluous as we were in the circuit and in constant contact with a most helpful and encouraging ATC/ tower who cleared the way for us.
We stopped on a taxiway and fuel off, master off, mags off and @@@@ off. The firies put it out. Damage about $12000.
If we had been out of the circuit and more than say, two minutes away when smoke started, it would have been a mayday call.
We were @#$%ing lucky.
Scary thing is how long it takes to process what's happening. maybe that's me: I'm a bit slow.
Other thing that was interesting was all the people who appeared from nowhere after we landed, inc lots on bicycles. Normally this field seems deserted, but obviously people in hangers are listening.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 5,835
Not general aviation but a real world example.
CX138 SYD-HKG, a B-777, diverted to Cairns a short time ago. They were squawking 7700 and added Mayday to their callsign when contacting approach.
They check in at 22:10 into this clip:
http://archive-server.liveatc.net/yb...2018-1530Z.mp3
They diverted for a medical emergency:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...212Z/YSSY/YBCS
CX138 SYD-HKG, a B-777, diverted to Cairns a short time ago. They were squawking 7700 and added Mayday to their callsign when contacting approach.
They check in at 22:10 into this clip:
http://archive-server.liveatc.net/yb...2018-1530Z.mp3
They diverted for a medical emergency:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...212Z/YSSY/YBCS
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: AUS
Posts: 200
From Airservices themselves:
“These phrases alert ATC to the level of response required. If you just tell ATC that you are declaring an emergency, more information on the nature of emergency will be required to enable them to coordinate the appropriate response for you.”
Pretty clear.
“These phrases alert ATC to the level of response required. If you just tell ATC that you are declaring an emergency, more information on the nature of emergency will be required to enable them to coordinate the appropriate response for you.”
Pretty clear.
