Mayday in Utah

Although we can discuss whether the incident should have been an emergency,
the point was that the pilot felt it prudent to use the radio to get
assistance. I flew helicopters with 2/1 glide ratio and we practiced
autorotations regularly, and I always flew over terrain that an engine out
would not be an emergency.

In the midwest, there is probably always a spot to land - but in rugged
terrain, there are sometimes few places to land a ship - no matter what.

I knew a fellow - Cal Butler - who made an emergency landing with an old
torpedo plane that he was ferrying across the Cascades (engine failure) on
lava beds. He no doubt did not call Mayday, but he was a different breed.
He walked away, but the aircraft was in a little ball.

Even if the radio communication and known backup eased the pilot's mind, to
allow him to fly the sailplane, that woud be sufficient reason to justify
the call.

I have scraped off enough pilots who did not call for help that I prefer it
the other way around.

Colin Lamb