Declaring an emergency apparently isnt what it used to be. Recently, an airline crews uncertainty about their available fuel led them to declare, but thats when events got murky (see sidebar on page 6). Since then, a lot of people have gotten into the act of discussing this event, including the controllers union. All of which has led many of us to think about the process and ramifications of declaring an emergency. Even new student pilots understand that when you are forced to use the “E” word, the world is supposed to open up for you and everyone is supposed to do 288
The E Word
Declaring an emergency apparently isnt what it used to be. Recently, an airline crews uncertainty about their available fuel led them to declare, but thats when events got murky (see sidebar on page 6). Since then, a lot of people have gotten into the act of discussing this event, including the controllers union. All of which has led many of us to think about the process and ramifications of declaring an emergency.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots should not hesitate to declare an emergency, even for precautionary reasons, as it provides crucial assistance and temporary exemption from regulations to ensure flight safety.
- Adopting a "fly now, worry later" mindset, pilots must prioritize immediate safety by utilizing all available resources and offloading tasks to ATC, while always retaining ultimate responsibility as pilot-in-command.
- Post-emergency, pilots may be required to document the event and address any underlying issues; this process is always preferable to experiencing dire consequences from an undeclared problem.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
