Have you ever made a panpan call?
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Brad Z
Final Approach
No. I just tell ATC what I need. I've declared emergencies before, but never used the word "Mayday".
As far as "Pan Pan"...no reason to be obscure or dramatic. If I think its an emergency I'll let them know that. My focus is on the plane, not trying to decide if I'm going to say "pan pan" or "mayday".
TK211X
Pre-takeoff checklist
I saw a youtube video somewhere of ATC tape. This guy flew into IMC accidentally and panicked so much it was funny. You could have thought he was not even a pilot he completely and utterly lost it.
I figure in this day and age you either call an emergency/mayday or you keep quite and don't draw unwanted attention like a panic-ing seemingly out of it Debra.
I figure in this day and age you either call an emergency/mayday or you keep quite and don't draw unwanted attention like a panic-ing seemingly out of it Debra.
Sac Arrow
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Snorting his way across the USA
I've never really understood the Peter Pan call myself. I have however asked for a precautionary landing once, and I was fully prepared to board the "M" train if it became necessary.
labbadabba
Pattern Altitude
I heard it when watching a video of a flight deck on an A320 where they had an engine fire.
labbadabba
Pattern Altitude
How about:
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité ?
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité ?
Warlock
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Yes...total electrical failure in an AH-1 and a limited battery life at night...ATC once aware of my situation knew I would be arriving most likely dark and silent...NVG's made it non life threatening but had a direct effect on ground operations...landed with no lights and no commo as suspected.
If you have made one, did you pronounce it right?
Jeff Oslick
Final Approach
Not technically with those words due to circumstances, but in the sense of the term, yes. Had a GPS (old Northstar unit) blow a power supply when I was about 5 miles out from my home airport (KFUL). Was pretty sure of the cause at the time - loud "pop", smoke from the panel and unit went dead all at once.
Called tower, told them I had an electrical smoke condition, requested priority for landing and was shutting down avionics to be safe - they immediately replied "5CY, cleared to land, any runway". Shut down avionics master and proceeded to a normal landing.
Called tower, told them I had an electrical smoke condition, requested priority for landing and was shutting down avionics to be safe - they immediately replied "5CY, cleared to land, any runway". Shut down avionics master and proceeded to a normal landing.
Twice. Once this Saturday (I declared an emergency after engine failure) and once a year ago or more when the landing gear wouldn't come up. I made this most recent pan-pan call on 121.5 (I was flying pure VFR with no flight following) and had some idiot guard nazi whine "you're on guarddddddddd" in the most nasally voice you can imagine. I replied, "Yes, idiot, I know. Now shut up." Ok, I may have embellished my response a bit, but that's what it should have been.
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oldShar
Cleared for Takeoff
Just tell them that I have a problem and what I want to do. Let them determine whether to clear the airspace and/or provide priority handling. If things get dicey (traffic in my way), the we elevate the urgency.
{{ never actually squawked 7700 or 7600, although have faced both situations. In the scheme of things, ATC was more (agitated?) with the 7600 situation than the 7700 situation. Flying NORDO in Charlie or Bravo is not something ATC does with relish }}
{{ never actually squawked 7700 or 7600, although have faced both situations. In the scheme of things, ATC was more (agitated?) with the 7600 situation than the 7700 situation. Flying NORDO in Charlie or Bravo is not something ATC does with relish }}
overdrive148
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Larry in TN
En-Route
Think outside the US, GA aircraft box and you'll see more uses for pan-pan. "pan-pan" and "mayday" are standard ICAO phraseology and are used worldwide. Outside North America you're much more likely to hear this standard phraseology than the plain language description with "emergency" that is common in the US.
A good GA use of "pan-pan" would be a lost pilot. A fire or an engine failure on a one or two engine airplane would be a "mayday".
A good GA use of "pan-pan" would be a lost pilot. A fire or an engine failure on a one or two engine airplane would be a "mayday".
AggieMike88
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
How one instructor got me to remember the emergency squawk codes
Squawk 75 - "Taken Alive" (hostage)
Squawk 76 - "We got a glitch" (comm failure)
Squawk 77 - "We're going to heaven" (emergency)
Squawk 75 - "Taken Alive" (hostage)
Squawk 76 - "We got a glitch" (comm failure)
Squawk 77 - "We're going to heaven" (emergency)
Since I'm in the rhyming mood, how about 76="We need it fixed" (radio inop).
JCranford
En-Route
If I ever sound like that guy on the radio (and I live) I'm going to land and IMMEDIATELY mail my pilot's license to OKC.
TFulwider
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Terry
I'm sure he was just about ready to turn in his cert. He fully believed he was going to die and flipped out. I can't really laugh at it or give the guy too much grief, I'm sure he was terrified. Chills my bones to hear that.
ettsn
Pre-takeoff checklist
I learned "Hi Jack, can't talk right now, I'm on fire!"
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
I've never used any of those calls in flight because I haven't needed to, gracias a Dios.
In CAP, I used securite during a SAREX because I saw some cadets jackassing around on the flight line. I was Comm Unit Leader and I was out and about with a handheld when I saw it. So the IC stopped the show and held an impromptu safety discussion with everyone. Then we carried on.
Not sure what situation would lead me to use pan pan or securite in flight, however. If it's an emergency just say so - else say what you need ATC to do for you. I don't know what the use is in parsing different levels of emergency-ness in flight. I think the purpose of "mayday, pan pan, and securite" are mainly in getting people STFU and listen to you. So if ATC is already listening then say what you need or declare an emergency.
In CAP, I used securite during a SAREX because I saw some cadets jackassing around on the flight line. I was Comm Unit Leader and I was out and about with a handheld when I saw it. So the IC stopped the show and held an impromptu safety discussion with everyone. Then we carried on.
Not sure what situation would lead me to use pan pan or securite in flight, however. If it's an emergency just say so - else say what you need ATC to do for you. I don't know what the use is in parsing different levels of emergency-ness in flight. I think the purpose of "mayday, pan pan, and securite" are mainly in getting people STFU and listen to you. So if ATC is already listening then say what you need or declare an emergency.
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Brad Z
Final Approach
Good one.
Brad Z
Final Approach
I know it is. And it's still obscure. ATC handles a distress (May-Day!)exactly the same way as a urgency (Pan-Pan!). Why complicate matters? Terms like May Day and Pan Pan date back to the days of morse code when words were a premium. I recommend using plain language in an emergency. There should be no ambiguity regarding what is wrong, and what the pilot needs from ATC.
I'm pretty impressed with how calm all you guys are. If I had an in flight engine failure or fire I would just be trying to limit the number of F-Bombs I drop not if I'm experiencing Mayday, pan, emergency or whatever other fancy ways you can dream up to say it.
Stevel
Pre-takeoff checklist
That's how I learned it too.
MAKG1
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MAKG
I had a similar time when I probably should have used that, but didn't.
CAP mission aircrew school, cadet marshalers trying to park aircraft, and one cadet trying to man two positions, running between them among spinning props.
I parked the airplane, then told him NO RUNNING ON THE FLIGHT LINE and suggested it was better not to have any marshalers at all if there weren't enough people. As you might imagine, I was far less than happy.
Clark1961
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Naw, jus' take a deep breath, relax a bit, crank up the accent a little bit and tell'em what is happening and what you're gonna do. It's not like they can do much for you anyway...and unless you've really screwed the pooch you've got at least a little time...
Fearless Tower
Touchdown! Greaser!
Never in an airplane, but I have made pan pan calls in the Navy/merchant marine.
Hank S
En-Route
I've done that twice.
First time was a total electrical failure shooting a VOR-A approach after descending through clouds. Turned inbound, dropped gear and lost everything. Debated what to do, flipped master several times, cranked gear down. I was off radar, supposed to call them on the miss. Headed home, low and slow with approach flaps out and gear down. Eventually got radio back, told ATC what I was doing.
Second time was alternator failure at night. I think I received landing clearance before everything went out. Had 10° flaps out in a 182. No lights, no more flaps. The green light was clearly visible on final, and again after I cleared the runway to taxi to the ramp. Good experience, slightly fast on the landing for only 10° flaps.
No issues in either event, unable to declare in either. Once my radios came back on, I didn't touch anything electrical except the transmit button. Followed the Ohio River, since there were flat spots along the bank instead of going direct, figuring the extra time was less important than the extra safety since I didn't know what had happened or might happen next.
Not from the air, but on the water, it's the call you issue with a Man Overboard situation. ATC would handle it no differently because both are classified as emergency calls, the difference is imminent vs expected, and the FAA does not distinguish between them which is why PanPan isn't really covered. Really you could call with "Houston we have a problem..." and get the same results as Mayday out of ATC.
Because it comes from the maritime world where you are calling the people around you as well, it lets them know what type of help you need and if there is anything they can do now besides stand by. Like my man overboard example, by calling it in as a Pan Pan, they know that what I need from them right now is to stay clear so I can maneuver, and they don't run over my man (this is an issue in crowded fishing areas and work boat lanes), but they know if the conditions are rough, that if they are wrapping up an evolution, to get done and prepare to get underway in the next 15-20 minutes as there is a high likelihood that this escalates to "mayday mayday mayday, man overboard, lost visual contact, last known position <position>, all available vessels please respond", because now we escalate the needs to a search. Pan Pan is basically a heads up to the people around you, "Hey, I'm in a bind over here, leave some space, but keep an eye out and get ready, because this is very likely going to not go well."
If you end up with "All stations, M/V Peter North, man overboard recovered, cancel Pan Pan." nobody really gets fussed for getting ready to get underway your way.
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