Scared of the "E" word

[PeanuckleCRJ]

It drove me nuts flying with guys like stage...

Just declare an emergency, get priority as the situation dictates, fill out an FSR, go home.. have a beer. It really doesn't require that much thought... If you believe the person needs medical attention on the ground pronto, put her on the ground safely. They aren't meatballs in the back- they are people.

We lost pressurization and had to come down fast a year and a half ago when I was still an FO. I'm sitting there wearing my darth vader mask and we're coming down at 6000 FPM, listening to ATC vectoring aircraft all over the place to clear a path for us.... all the while I'm trying to explain to ATC why we aren't declaring an emergency b/c the stupid captain wouldn't let me declare. All an emergency does is give you the priority you need. If youre going to use or think of using the word "priority"... just declare. You're not going to be given a carpet dance for it... even if you do go for one, you can easily justify it and it is open and shut.

 

[Hold West]

No...the situation (i.e. sick passenger) doesnt jeopardize the safe operation of the aircraft. Therefore, the situation isnt serious enough to declare an emergency.

Doesn't matter. In that situation, if you don't say it, I will declare the emergency for you, provide emergency handling, and inform all that need to know, from my supervisor to airport ops to EMS of the emergency situation.

An emergency may be declared by the pilot, by ATC personnel, or by "officials responsible for the operation of the aircraft".

 

[Nindiri]

Works for me if the controller wants to declare an emergency for me. My company's ops manual, however, specifically prohibits me from declaring an emergency because of an ill passenger and from deviating from any FARs. Instead, it requires that lifeguard status be used and priority handling requested. I suppose each company has it's own ideas.

 

[Dubya]

Ok..i'll share one funny example of when NOT to declare an emergency.
I was giving recurrent training to a guy in a Navajo and he shared this experience with me.....

He departed an uncontrolled airport without filing first into marginal VMC at night expecting to get his IFR clearance from ATC after he took off...well...they said stand by.... he freaked out because he was low in marginal wx...and he asked for clearance into Class C to land and file...again ATC said stand by...so he declared an emergency to get an approach into Class C!

Ticket yanked for a year. Funniest part....he still was justifying his decision with me! He told the story in such a way that he was daring me to tell him he was wrong.

I have taught so many private and commercial multi-engine owners in recurrency that would argue with me vehemently that an engine failure in IMC was not an emergency because they could handle it.

Just use common sense..a pressurization failure and a 6000 fpm descent? yeah..thats not an emergency.:erm:

W

 

[JimNtexas]

Just declare an emergency, get priority as the situation dictates, fill out an FSR, go home.. have a beer. It really doesn't require that much thought.

Shack!!!! If you need priority handling from ATC, such as a sudden change of destination then DECLARE AN EMERGENCY! Fill out a NASA form when you get back and relax.

Nindiri is correct, if you just want to continue to your destination with a medical issue then declaring yourself to be a Lifeguard flight is probably enough, but why beat around the bush? If you need priority from ATC, you are an emergency.

I've declared two emergenices as a civilian pilot, one for loss of vacuum while IMC and once for alternator failure while IMC. In neither case did I ever hear a word from the FAA after the flight.

If you feel like you have to dance around the 'E' word because of some fear of not seeming macho or because the FAA may say 'boo' to you, then your real problem is that are you are a quivering girli-man, afraid to speak up for yourself. Macho men say what is on their mind.

 

[stage]

If I'm in the back of your airplane having a heart attack, I hope you'd be willing to fly as fast as safely possible to get me to medical treatment. Because that's what I'd do for you.

QP

Of course I would! And for your airline, you should declare an emergency. Case closed (for your airline).

 

[Flyerjosh]

Works for me if the controller wants to declare an emergency for me. My company's ops manual, however, specifically prohibits me from declaring an emergency because of an ill passenger and from deviating from any FARs. Instead, it requires that lifeguard status be used and priority handling requested. I suppose each company has it's own ideas.

Your company specifically prohibits you from declaring an emergency? I can understand the deviating from regs bit, but as far as I'm concerned, the PIC has ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY and can declare for any reason they deem fit. Sort it out after the fact with the company. It's always better to err on the side of caution, and definately easier to argue why you declared an emergency rather than didn't (particularly if a passenger dies in the process)

I've seen ops specs that offer guidance on when to (and when not to declare), but it was always carefully worded to defer the final decision to the crew/PIC. It also stated that any crewmember could declare an emergency if they saw fit, so that the most conservative route was always available (IE FO wearing the mask could declare even though the CA specifically didn't want to).

 

[stage]

It drove me nuts flying with guys like stage...

Just declare an emergency, get priority as the situation dictates, fill out an FSR, go home.. have a beer. It really doesn't require that much thought... If you believe the person needs medical attention on the ground pronto, put her on the ground safely. They aren't meatballs in the back- they are people.

We lost pressurization and had to come down fast a year and a half ago when I was still an FO. I'm sitting there wearing my darth vader mask and we're coming down at 6000 FPM, listening to ATC vectoring aircraft all over the place to clear a path for us.... all the while I'm trying to explain to ATC why we aren't declaring an emergency b/c the stupid captain wouldn't let me declare. All an emergency does is give you the priority you need. If youre going to use or think of using the word "priority"... just declare. You're not going to be given a carpet dance for it... even if you do go for one, you can easily justify it and it is open and shut.

Your captain was an idiot (no offense if he/she is reading this ).

Of course you should declare an emergency in that situation. I did when it happened to me. Except I was up at altitude over one of those middle eastern countries, not too far from the bad guys, where the controllers know about 100 words in English (but they knew the "E" word though!)

 

[Nindiri]

Your company specifically prohibits you from declaring an emergency? I can understand the deviating from regs bit, but as far as I'm concerned, the PIC has ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY and can declare for any reason they deem fit. Sort it out after the fact with the company. It's always better to err on the side of caution, and definately easier to argue why you declared an emergency rather than didn't (particularly if a passenger dies in the process)

They require lifeguard status instead of an emergency for an ill passenger, unless you believe it to somehow be a safety of flight issue. It really doesn't matter anyway since either way we are going to get priority and make for the nearest suitable airport.

 

[dollacrackho]

ok minor shart maybe i wouldnt declare an emergency, you know just a minor browning of the boxers. but full on mudslide i'm landing at the nearest airport and pulling out emergency underwear. as much as i'd like to annoy the captain with the smell of my intestinal chocolate i'm not spending the rest of the flight sitting on a pile of my own personal a$$ fudge.

 

[stage]

What kind of forum is this? Yall are some sick beyooches!!

 

[Jack Mehoff]

NEDude, what the hell is that on your avatar???? its creep'n me out buddy

 

[NEDude]

NEDude, what the hell is that on your avatar???? its creep'n me out buddy

www.samugliestdog.com

 

[wmuflyguy]

Doesn't matter. In that situation, if you don't say it, I will declare the emergency for you, provide emergency handling, and inform all that need to know, from my supervisor to airport ops to EMS of the emergency situation.

An emergency may be declared by the pilot, by ATC personnel, or by "officials responsible for the operation of the aircraft".

Dispatchers is a good example of "officials responsible.." They can delcare an emergency for a flight they are workin. I assume that is fairly rare, ever have something like that happen?