Mayday in Utah

Hi Ian

Agree - best option is to just tell people what you are doing. No need to call pan or mayday - just give them the facts.
Then at least they know where to start looking if you don't call in.

In this instance I think the pilot had reason to believe he might not make a safe landing. In which case PAN is
justified. As I said, just remember the consequences part - including costs of search and rescue. And that there is risk
to those who go searching too.

Bruce

Ian wrote:
On 19 Jun, 17:58, Bruce wrote:

If they don't hear from you cancelling the PAN (Possible Assistance Needed )call all the expensive stuff will start on
the assumption that it is no longer a possible, but an actual "assistance needed" situation - but you won't be on the
hook for futile expenses.


That's what will happen if you make a pan-pan call before descending
to a height where you can't cancel it.

Ian

Ian wrote:


...since you are not in any immediate danger, neither mayday
nor pan-pan would be appropriate. On the whole you are
probably best to keep quiet and activate your emergency
locator if necessary.


This is some of the worst advice I've ever heard on this or any other
aviation list.

Let's encourage people to know their options, to "aviate, navigate, and
communicate." Being quiet about the situation while counting on your
emergency locator to activate, or your post-landing ability to activate
it, is not recommended. Any difference of opinion regarding radio
terminology is trivial compared to the decision to use the radio to
communicate your circumstances in the first place, and in a timely manner.



Jack