Ch. 7 - Emergency Radio Procedures Flashcards
What is the transponder code for a state of emergency
7700
What is distress
A condition of being threatened by serious/imminent danger and of requiring immediate assistance
What is urgency
A condition concerning the safety of the aircraft, or other vehicle, or of some person on board or within sight, but which does not require immediate assistance
Situations where MAYDAY is appropriate
- Total engine failure
- Fire or smoke in any part of the aircraft
- Structural failure of any component that threatens the safety of the flight
- Total incapacitation of the pilot when the caller is not qualified or capable of continuing the flight safely
- Any other situation where you are threatened by grave and immediate danger and you require immediate assistance
Where should the MAYDAY message be transmitted
Over the air-ground frequency you are currently using, when flying in a mandatory broadcast zone or common frequency zone you will be on a frequency not monitored by the ATS, it is then the pilots decision whether to stay on the particular frequency or change to a frequency served by the ATS
What do you do if there is no response to your MAYDAY call
- Change frequency (repeat on another frequency that you know is being monitored by the ATS, or on the maritime mobile service RTF calling frequencies, or on 121.5MHz)
- Squawk code 7700
- Turn ELT to ON
What is 121.5MHz
International emergency frequency which is monitored by airlines and many ground stations
What should the MAYDAY transmission be
- MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
- The name of the station
- Your aircraft callsign
- The nature of the distress situation
- Your intentions
- Your position, altitude and heading
When should the distress call be made
As soon as possible following the onset of the emeregency
What do other aircraft do once they have heard the MAYDAY call
Impose radio silence upon themselves but, having noted that the distress call was not acknowledged by a ground station, may at this stage be able to assist by relaying the distress call to a ground station
What must relaying aircraft be careful of
Advising that they are relaying and not, themselves in a distress situation
Who is permitted to impose radio silence
The POC of the aircraft in distress, the ground station or the aircraft assisting in the absence of ground station response
Imposition of radio silence transmission
- ALL STATIONS (or ALFA BRAVO CHARLIE)
- NELSON TOWER (or HOTEL KILO NOVEMBER )
- STOP TRANSMITTING
- MAYDAY
When may stations not involved with the distress traffic commence transmissions again
- The distress is cancelled or the distress traffic is terminated
- All distress traffic has been transferred to other frequencies
- The station controlling communications gives permission
- It has to render assistance itself
What does squawking code 7700 do
If you are within secondary radar coverage this causes a special symbol to appear around your aircraft on the radar screen, immediately alerting ATC radar controllers
What must aircraft not involved in the distress traffic do when maintaining radio silence
Keep a listening watch on the distress traffic until it is clearly established that satisfactory assistance is being provided to the distress traffic
What happens when the POC of the distress aircraft considers the emergency no longer present
- Advise station controlling the distress traffic. The controlling station transmits “DISTRESS TRAFFIC ENDED” - The transponder code 7700 should be changed to a code advised bt the ATC
- ELT switch should be returned to ARM
When should a PAN PAN urgency call be used
- you are experiencing navigational difficulties and require assistance from ATC, Flight service or another aircraft
- The aircraft experiences a malfunction such as abnormally low oil pressure or an open door (the situation may not require immediate assistance but could worsen)
- Severe turbulence has injured passengers/crew and urgent assistance will be required after landing
- An emergency descent whilst flying in a controlled airspace, when operating aircraft below your flight path may be threatened
- With respect to the safety of another aircraft, person, vessel or vehicle that does not require immediate assistance
All aircraft are required to carry an ELT except
- A manned free balloon
- powered aircraft/gliders with no more than 2 seats when remaining with 10NM of the aerodrome of departure
- In a single-seat powered aircraft where the pilot has a portable ELT
- A glider or microlight aircraft if at least one of the occupants has a portable ELT
- When the aircraft is to be ferried to a place where the automatic ELT is to installed/repaired/replaced (no passengers carried)
- 7 days when the automatic ELT is inoperable and a portable ELT is accessible to each person onboard the aircraft
Types of ELT
- ELT (AF): an automatic emergency locator transmitter permanently fitted inside an aircraft
- ELT(S): Manually activated survival ELT
- EPIRB: Manually activated Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
- PLB: Manually activated Personal Locator Beacon
When does an ELT(AF) start transmitting
When a given rate of deceleration is experienced, which could take place during an accident or heavy landing
When activated what does the ELT transmit
A distinctive undulating signal on the international distress frequencies 121.5 MHz as well as a pulse on 406 MHz (UHF) every 50 seconds. This 50 second interval transmission contains identification data programmed into the ELT and is received by Cospas-Sarsat satellites which then transfer the data to the National Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ). The identification data is referenced to a database maintained by the RCCNZ where it is used to identify the beacon and the owner.
Permanently fitted ELT(AF)
Require a continuous connection to the ELT aerial fitted externally to the aircraft, if this connection is broken ELT transmissions cant be picked up
Removable ELT(AF)
ELT that can be removed from its cradle and carried away by survivors , this type requires a seperate aerial which may not be part of the equipment
CAR 91.529
Aircraft in New Zealand must carry an automatic ELT
How long will the average ELT battery last for
5 years if unused
Do ELTs use the aircrafts electrical system
No they have their own batteries
When should the ELT battery be replaced
When it has operated continuously for 1 hour (60 self tests)
ELT ARM position
The ELT is dormant and will activate when a certain deceleration is experinced
What will happen when the ELT is activated
The small red LED light will flash continuously and a buzzer will beep periodically
When should the ELT be switched to ON
If an emergency develops mid flight
When should the ELT be switched back to ARM
If the emergency is rectified, then ASAP notify RCCNZ and ATC so that the emergency phase is not continued
Inadvertent activation of the ELT
If it is suspected that the ELT may have been activated following a hard landing, the red LED light should be flashing continuously. To further check for inadvertent ELT activation, you could turn the VHF radio to 121.5 MHz and listen for an ELT signal (remember, the ELT switch will still be on ARM). If this signal is heard, turn the switch to ON, hold it for not longer than five seconds, and then return the switch to ARM. The signal should cease and the light should extinguish. Notify ATC and the RCCNZ as soon as possible.
ELT self testing
Testing should be restricted to the first five minutes after the hour. When testing - ensure the ELT switch is selected to ARM; select 121.5 MHz on the aircraft communication radio, volume as appropriate; and,
Turn the ELT selector to ON, listen for 3 ‘siren’ sweeps (lasting one or two seconds in total) and then turn the ELT switch back to ARM. Immediately following the ON selection the siren sweeps should be heard and the LED light should instantly flash continuously. During the brief testing period the microprocessor checks the required ELT functions. For the test to be satisfactory, upon switching back to ARM, the LED window should stay illuminated for approximately one second and then extinguish. If the light continues to flash, there is a faulty condition, which should be reported to an aircraft maintenance engineer.
Can you test an ELT in flight
No
Who can test an ELT
A pilot who has had adequate training by a qualified person
When should pilots listen to 121.5MHz
Once or twice during long flights and report any signals heard
COSPAS - SARSA satellite
Keeps a constant and precise lookout for activated ELTs, the RCCNZ receives information from a satellite when an ELT is activated in the New Zealand SAR Region. Once the information from the satellite has been resolved, the position is fixed as a latitude and longitude. The RCCNZ then coordinates rescue services to locate the aircraft.
ELT location and Squelch control
When asked to assist in the location of a transmitting ELT deactivate the squelch control to extend range of reception
What is the total transmitting life of an ELT
24-48 hours
When may an ELT be carried away by survivors
If a portable aerial is inserted into the unit or if it an integral part of the unit
