Emergency calls
PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN
Urgency. A serious situation but no immediate danger — e.g. a rough-running engine, getting lost, a sick passenger.
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
Distress. Grave and imminent danger needing immediate help — e.g. engine failure, fire.
Message content (after the prefix):
- Station addressed
- Your callsign
- Aircraft type
- Nature of the emergency
- Your intentions
- Position, level/altitude and heading
- Persons on board (POB)
- Any other useful information (e.g. your qualifications)
When it's resolved, cancel it: “<callsign>, cancel PAN-PAN / MAYDAY …” so ATC can release any priority handling.
Emergency frequencies & message priority
The international aeronautical emergency frequency is 121.5 MHz (civil); military aircraft also guard 243.0 MHz (UHF). Address a MAYDAY or PAN to the unit you're already working, or to 121.5 MHz if you need to.
Order of priority
- Distress messages (MAYDAY)
- Urgency messages (PAN-PAN), including medical transports
- Direction-finding messages
- Flight safety messages
- Meteorological messages
- Flight regularity messages