Emergency radio procedures

[+TSRA]

I thought this had been moved (and a couple posts removed)...

[RodH]

I has been moved from " Flight Deck Forums " Rumours and News to " questions. It's a shame as it is a fairly topical subject for those of us who are not USA pilots.

[galaxy flyer]

A Mayday radio call should be reserved for life threatening situations. These may include, but are not limited to:
◾Loss, or imminent loss of aircraft control for any number of different reasons

aircraft upset by turbulence;
pilot incapacitation;
spatial disorientation;
control surface or structural failure;
engine failure that will lead to a forced landing/ditching/ejection/bailout;

I've always wondered exactly what ATC was supposed to do, or were capable of doing to assist the crew or fix the situation? They're not going to join the crew, after all. So, unless the pilot needs traffic priority or the fire brigade, what's the point?

GF

[+TSRA]

They're not going to join the crew, after all

But they already are. They're as much a part of the "crew" as the flight attendants or dispatchers.

You're right though: Who knows what type information they can give you, if any.

But I know of one IFR controller in my area who is an ex-airline pilot...he can hold a Class 2 Medical but not the Class 1...so why don't I think he could bring me something over his 10,000 or so hours in the air?

[G0ULI]

GF
The point is to coordinate an appropriate response by emergency services and offer advice as required.

The quicker emergency responders can arrive on the scene of an incident, the more chance there is of crew and passenger survival or reduction of collateral damage on the ground.

I agree, sometimes events overtake the need to even bother with a call. Aviate, navigate, communicate, in that order.

[MarkerInbound]

MarkerInbound, why did you shake your head? Looks to me that the controller did exactly what they have to do, not give priority until an emergency is officially declared. It sifts out those that really need it from those that have got themselves into a "tight spot".......

Because the purpose of the radio to communicate. The inbound flight told ATC they have a person aboard who needs transport to a hospital. Both parties being native English speakers, I'm sure ATC understood the situation. Yet he wouldn't do anything until the magic code words were spoken.

And the FAA AIM says:

6-3-1 Distress and Urgency Communications

a. A person who encounters a distress or urgency condition can obtain assistance simply by contacting the air traffic facility or other agency in whose area of responsibility the aircraft is operating, stating the nature of the difficulty, pilot's intentions and assistance desired. Distress and urgency communications procedures are prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), however, and have decided advantages over the informal procedures described above.

[de facto]

I declared an emergency in UK airspace a while ago and didn't need to broadcast a mayday continually with each frequency change as the controllers were professional enough to pass it on to the next sector.

Could be that the squawk you must have dialed helped a lot.

[+TSRA]

I'm sure ATC understood the situation. Yet he wouldn't do anything until the magic code words were spoken.

Just because they're both native speakers does not guarantee that both fully understand a situation. Take, for example, the phrase "minimum fuel." Both pilots and ATC understand what this means, but saying it does not confer special priority on its own. The pilot may be running on fumes nd considering his or her life choices, but to the controller you're just one of 30 holding west of New York. Now, put a Mayday or Pan-Pan at the beginning and that means something vastly different to the controller.

That is why the below line in the FAA AIM is the last sentence in its paragraph.

Distress and urgency communications procedures are prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), however, and have decided advantages over the informal procedures described above.

[B737900er]

US radio telecommunication to ATC is absolute shocking. For example United XXX maintaining Flight level 37 OHHHHH since when was 'O' a number?

Its not hard to understand, if its not a emergency but there is urgency to the situation, then PAN is used.