MAYDAY over the Bay of Biscay
 

Any details on the MAYDAY call over the Bay of Biscay this afternoon around 13:45z-14:00z? It was picked up on 121.5 by a MyTravel aircraft and reported to Brest.
I hope the poor bugg*rs were alright.
VS
:sad:

No - but there was one yesterday, all in Spanish.

Heard the one yesterday coming out of IBZ. Hapag Lloyd took the mayday - someone with an engine failure.

Didn't hear any more.

Any clues ?

mayday
 

Yes I heard it this afternoon too..well some of it, as we were also speaking to ATC at the time and briefing for the descent. Understand that a Globespan aircraft was involved in the message relay so we didn't action anything. I hope that it all worked out too.

Keep me posted.

MoT

I wonder, what is this fixation with 'mayday'?
IF it is an engine failure, transport aircraft are are quite capable (if properly loaded and flown) to return to a suitable airport, so why all the fuss?

Me thinks...'wound up like a cheap watch' pilots.:eek:

and how do you know it was a transport a/c ?? and it is a pretty big deal.

Oh lemmee see someone has made a mayday call, oh well no big deal, let someone else sort it out, Sheesh !!!:(

Ever thought that the Mayday as a result of engine failure, might have been because it was THE engoine that had failed?

The ONE and ONLY engine.

If it's a twin-engined transport, which 411A has claimed to have never flown, then the checklist calls for a landing at the nearest suitable airport. So a PAN call would at least be expected.

You're very quick to deride fellow professionals, 411A - however that epistle you gave us some time ago, about taking off in an aircraft with one engine delivering an unknown, and unreliable amount of power, greatly reduced your credibility as a true professional pilot, albeit a decade or more ago now.

Why all this reluctance to declare a Mayday. It gets you priority and it can always be cancelled.:)

Having waded through the 121.5 (mis)use thread, I'm surprised some people here aren't claiming the need for students to be able to call practice mayday calls, "...so they're be confident the system works should they ever need to make a real one" (!)

My dear chap (Arizona Airline Captain), it's not a case as you suggest of a fixation with 'mayday'.
Were you there or heard it? No, but must have the two pennies worth, just in case.
How did you arrive to the conclusion it was a transport aircraft? God only knows and frankly who cares. :confused: But hey, what do I 'wound up like a cheap watch' pilot know about it.
Well, I heard some of it and the poor guy putting the mayday, just kept calling mayday and it sounded 'a little' concerned. We thought at the time.... poor bugg*er….put yourself on his or their situation. But of course big airline captains don’t worry about things like that, at least those that fly a real mahogany desk airliner. :D
Anyway, I just hope there was a safe outcome.
VS :ok:

We picked up one yesterday on 121.5 too at about that time, and ourselves and a company a/c relayed the message to Brest, although we're neither MyTravel or Globespan so I wonder if it was different 'event'? Hope there wasn't another one. :(

The mayday callsign we heard gave a position report in both French and English that was somewhere in the region of Nantes. There were no intentions or problem stated in the mayday. About 10 mins later we picked up an intermittent ELT before we switched frequencies. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a commercial aircraft.

I hope the chap made it ok. That's the second one in two days we've heard over France. :(

411A, I think one engine on a two engine aircraft is serious. Regradless. That increases 10-fold if fire is involved. No engine on a 1 engined aircraft hardly qualifies as being 'wound up like a cheap watch'.

TS6

Errr.....Spanish ATC doesn't recognise PAN as an emergency call, as I recall.

Got a problem, make a Mayday call.

If 411A was a true professional, he would realise that not all companies follow HIS take on SOPs. Many, many airlines require a mandatory MAYDAY due to an engine failure on departure. Why a Mayday?

1. As pointed out, many countries do not recognise PAN.
2. It gets their attention (or at least should) and sets their emergency plan into action.
3. Without further dialogue they know you have a problem and will (should) not bombard you with further requests for info, which they invariably do if you don't declare a problem fully and try to play it down.....
4. No reason why you can't downgrade after everything is sorted and you are ready for the approach.

So, to sum up, the PROFESSIONAL pilots will use the most efficient course of action available to them, under the prevailing circumstances to ENSURE priority handling by ATC when it is required. Losing an engine on take off, even on a twin jet transport is, IMHO just such a circumstance as I may be deviating from a SID (climbing straight ahead) or carrying out an Emergency Turn, which ATC don't know about, with restricted climb performance and also carrying out recall drills. Also factor in CRM issues (like very inexperienced right seat occupants) which many EU airlines employ and the PROFESSIONAL captain would be doing a good job IMHO when he called MAYDAY.

Wound like cheap watches? Sounds like a RUSTY OLD TIMER too set in his ways to consider anything other than his own opinion could be correct.:D

PP

Yep, 'mayday' and especially 'Pan'....well overused.
It must be a European thing.

I was in the sim one day with a new co-pilot, and after an engine failure at rotation, he was so busy calling 'mayday' on the radio, he couldn't/didn't bother to select the landing gear up, when asked.
The check pilot was definitely not amused.
In fact, he threw him out of the upgrade program....as in, gone.

411A

Perhaps you should read the post

also how is

relevant? The co-pilot failed to remember to aviate, navigate then communicate. There is nothing on this thread to suggest that.

Well Done 411A
That one chappie who wont be bothering anyone:mad:

Happen to buy one of those "OEI-middle-of-the-night-over-the-Bay-of-Biscay" T-shirts a year ago. Despite it being a rock solid US westcoast product with the largest P&Ws available for the type we were forced to descend 15.000 feet to fly level. We didn't actually call mayday but being forced to descend we did declare an emergency.

Who is this 411A, im so glad i do NOT fly with him, how can a mayday or pan call be over used, that is the biggest load of S*** I have heard...

411A see your one of those guys who like to get people chopped in the sim rather than helping them, what a nice fellow you are.

If i was flying with you and i lost an engine make no mistake i WOULD delcare a MAYDAY, and argue with you later.

Can i suggest you make useful posts on here or otherwise GO AWAY!

Ye Gods - I hope the media don't read this and report that very inexperienced pilots fly for many EU airlines. I know it is true but isn't it scary- especially when passengers believe in all innocence there are two experienced polers up front - not apprentices..

Well, as one of the crews that did hear the Mayday and helped relay it to Brest, it certainly sounded serious.

A rather worried Frenchman by the sounds of it making the call. Possibly a turboprop by the sounds in the background. Unfortunately my French is only passable at best and from the speed and anxiety in this guy's voice, I couldnt pick up much. To be honest couldn't swear that it wasn't a ship either.

Relayed that we had heard a Mayday on 121.5 , in French, to Brest. We then heard the guy passing what sounded like co-ordinates and heading to another controller.

Would hope the guy is OK and that it wasn't serious. If anyone knows the outcome, would like to know.

On an aside - if he had broadcast in English, we would all have known what his trouble was, where he was and what help he needed. Might have allowed more or faster help to be obtained if more of the people listening out can understand you. However, I suppose we might all revert to our native language if in dire straits.