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AviationMAYDAY Call Elements
Twenty flashcards on what goes into a distress or urgency call and in which order, from the FAA's AIM.
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20 cards
- What is the simplest way for a pilot in trouble to get help?
- Contact the ATC facility for the area and state the problem, the pilot's intentions and the help wanted.
- Who prescribes the formal distress and urgency procedures?
- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- How should a distress call begin?
- With the signal MAYDAY, preferably said three times.
- How should an urgency call begin?
- With PAN-PAN, used the same way, preferably three times.
- Must every element of the message be sent?
- No: as many as necessary, preferably in the order the AIM lists.
- After the signal, what is the first element?
- The name of the station being addressed.
- What comes after the station name?
- The aircraft identification and type.
- What is the third element?
- The nature of the distress or urgency.
- What follows the nature of the problem?
- The weather.
- What comes after the weather?
- The pilot's intentions and request.
- How is position given?
- Present position and heading; if lost, the last known position, the time and the heading since then.
- What follows the position?
- Altitude or flight level.
- How is fuel reported?
- As fuel remaining in minutes.
- What comes after fuel?
- The number of people on board, then any other useful information.
- Which station is normally addressed?
- The facility giving air traffic services, on the frequency in use at the time.
- What if the station addressed does not answer?
- Broadcast the message or make a collect call to 'Any Station (Tower)(Radio)(Radar)'.
- With a crash landing or ditching imminent, what extra items help search and rescue?
- ELT status, visible landmarks, aircraft color, persons on board and emergency equipment on board.
- What should be done with the ELT when a crash landing is imminent?
- Turn it on if the installation allows.
- When should the radio be set to transmit continuously?
- For a bailout, and for a crash landing or ditching when fire risk is not a factor.
- In a hijack, if the normal procedure is not possible, what is said, in order?
- Station name, aircraft identification and position, then the nature of the emergency and intentions.
Official sources
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Aeronautical Information Manual, Chapter 6, Section 3: Distress and Urgency Procedures
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