The rule does not require the pilot to say the "magic words"
to have an emergency, nor does it mean that if the words are
not spoken an emergency does not exist. The rules also
require a report IF traffic priority is given. The tower
saw that you were doing something out of the ordinary. They
may have extended another airplane [perhaps an airliner] and
if the airline asked why their fuel bill was $1,000 higher
and 10 minutes late, the tower needs your statement, really
just a N-number, name to CYA.

If you mentally declare an emergency to yourself, you can do
what ever is needed to solve the problem, including
violations of airspace, minimums or clearance. For
instance, you're solid IFR/IMC and have a total electrical
failure which is not covered by any regulation except
pilot's emergency authority. You can shout at your dead
radio, until you get on the ground somewhere nobody will
know the nature of your emergency. Your navigation becomes
dead reckoning to the nearest area of known VMC.

Controllers are there to help, but unless you say emergency
they're not obligated to give you priority handling. There
is no investigation, no third degree or rubber hose, declare
the emergency, get on the ground safely, tell them your name
and thanks.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Al" wrote in message
...
| So who files out the paper work later?
|
| I ask because I once arrived at a major U.S. West Coast
airport, and
| upon extending the landing gear, had no light. I was left
base at the time,
| so I asked for a "right 270" to do a quick troubleshoot.
Sure enough, the
| bulb was bad. After landing I was followed by the
equipment, and when I
| stopped, the crash rescue guys wanted to know the "nature
of my emergency".
| I told them I had no emergency, and they left. It took two
months of talking
| to FAA folks to convince them there was no emergency in
the first place.
|
| Al
|
|
| wrote in message
|
oups.com...
| In your controller training, are situations
| addressed concerning aircraft
| which request priority but do not declare an
| emergency? Is there any
| guidance in the Controllers' Handbook?
|
| The document says (very roughly) if in
| doubt handle as emergnecy even if not
| declared by aircrew.
|
| This reminds me of a time when I was
| a dual Pilot Under Instruction.
|
| I was flying the aeroplane (almost
| ready for solo) when (as we later
| found out) a drive gear to one of the
| magnetos lost some teeth.
|
| We were 500' AGL climbing out from takeoff.
|
| The engine immediately lost a lot of power
| and sounded very bad. The instructor took over
| control and turned 180 degrees and made
| a downwind landing. The engine did not get worse.
| IIRC we were able to maintain altitude more or less.
|
| I was surprised that he did not declare an emergency
| and only requested clearance to land on the reciprocal
| runway. The tower said nothing either but as we
approached
| I could see that the fire crews were out.
|
| I did not pursue my flying and so have not really
| much more experience that I had then but
| I still feel that not declaring an emergency was
| not the right thing to do.
|
| He was however a military instructor which I
| assume indicates quite a bit of flying experience.
|
| He did, of course, take the opportunity to
| demonstrate and talk through the issues
| and techniques of downwind landing which
| I had not yet covered!
|
| The engine lost power since the faulty
| mag was still firing quite a lot but not at
| the right time. Given more altitude various
| mag switch fiddling would have presumably
| restored power.
|
| Anyway, the point is that the UK controllers
| behaved as described in the document
| referred to in the previous post and
| called out the crash crew even though no
| emergency had been declared.
|
|
|