Yes, but the real point if my story is that the communication can have independent importance. Even if you don't think ATC can help you (a common excuse) it gives them the opportunity to move others out of your way. The pilot in my story faced enforcement action, along with its stress and expense, not because he had an emergency, but because his descent deviated from his clearance (91.123). It resulted in a loss of IFR separation, a danger to others in addition to the pilot. Had he taken the time to key the mic with as little as, "[callsign] Emergency! Engine failure. Unable maintain altitude," there might have been no loss of separation, and nothing more than a polite follow-up discussion.
My emergency was a case of missed opportunities - did not get Flight following despite using it on the outbound trip, flying lower due to headwinds, despite flying higher on the outbound trip. So I had to dial 121.5 and yell MAYDAY for Boston Center to pickup. In the NYC area, you have to say those words or you will get drowned out by a constant stream of traffic and ATC calls. NY Approach is great but does not give a damn if a little piston plane wants to talk to them when they are busy with two dozen jets. Say MAYDAY and the frequency is magically all yours.
No. Other than medical emergencies don’t usually have engines on fire and stuff like that. But if the pilot has said it’s an emergency our job is to assist and help as much as possible. So like a guy who is emergency low fuel and wants direct to an airport he gets it, just as a guy who says they have a passenger who needs to get down now gets it. ATC’s job is to get other planes outta the way and make it work.
The fact that it sounds a bit goofy might be a good reason to use it under certain circumstances. Might induce a break in nonstop radio chatter just because people aren’t used to hearing it.
Well, if you’re not talking initially to ATC, I somewhat understand… but, all ATC will perk up when you say the E word.
I think the E word would do just fine. If you can find a break in the chatter for a mayday, you can find a break for the E word.
For me, the problem with Pan Pan is the time I would spend thinking about whether I was using it improperly! So simple to just use the "E" word.
I agree. If you can't find a break in communications, 7700 does the job.
I couldn’t find a break in the chatter. I was just going to “pan-pan” for about five seconds, and hope it got heard through the squeal, but the controller noticed that we were 40 knots below our assigned speed.
If it was in the early 2000s that was quite possibly me. Seems like I used to call Pan at least once a week. I really miss that job.
Lmao. Controller coulda come back with “that’s good, the whole Fire Department called in sick today
My brother was with me at the time (a non-pilot). Once we were on the ground, he turned to me and said, "How the hell did you stay so calm?" I responded, "Somebody had to fly the plane." Maybe its from years of working in law enforcement experiencing numerous high stress situations, but I've never found "panic" to be an appropriate response to getting a job done. Not trying to sound macho, just more about experience to stress I guess.
I thought we were required to announce these types of failures under IFR.
I think they silently declare for us sometimes cause tower asked if I was ok.
Yeah, 91.187 says you are supposed to report malfunctions like that. You did but didn't request assistance. Emergencies are sometimes 'silently' as you put it, declared. A controller or the aircraft operator can declare an emergency. There is no requirement that the pilot be verbally told that it has been done. The Tower asking if you were ok does not mean that an emergency was declared. Controllers are required to relay the malfunction report to other Controllers. Probably went something liker this. "Lost his vacuum pump, not declaring and he's doing just fine up there."I thought we were required to announce these types of failures under IFR.
I've had a vacuum failure in IMC. Explained as required (I think) but didn't request any assistance. An early decent to VMC would plow through LGB's d-space, which is exactly what they did for me.
The pilot of United 328 did when it had an uncontained engine failure climbing out of Denver.
Straight out of the FAA Pilot Controller Glossary
Those Pilot/Controller Glossary passages don't contradict the Pilot/Controller Glossary passages that I quoted.
I'm not seeing that.
And it still sounds goofy.
Flew fighters, so I’ve declared “Emergency” more times than I can remember. Paperwork? Never! Say the E word early and you’ll be glad you did.Because there’s a ton of paperwork involved.
Did you fly F4’s
Yes, only 165 hrs in it, Georgia ANG, 1985.
When you said you flew fighters and declared emergencies more times than you can remember I was wondering. I was a Controller working at a field full of F4’s. F4 emergencies seemed almost a daily occurrence. Most BLC failures. We and Crash Crew called them Bacon Lettuce and Cheeses
It’s always been interesting to me that with one exception, my engine failures have resulted in less stress than my missed approaches (7 each in real life). I guess over the years engine failures have gotten way more emphasis in training.
FCS ??Seems like emergencies are par for the course for all types of fighters. Much more reliable today but I can’t even tell you the number of engine outs / hyd / FCS failures I saw with F-18s doing ATC.
Speaking of Georgia ANG, worked a flight of 4 or 5 “Peach” F-15s on arrival. Every one of them emergency fuel divert from SAV. Was an absolute **** show.
