Air transportation is considered one of the safest modes of transport. However, in aviation, like other human endeavours, incidents can sometimes occur that lead to emergency situations. The cause of such incidents could be problems with the aircraft itself or external factors. Pilots, technical crew and cabin crew are all trained to handle these kinds of situations and manage them safely. But when an emergency occurs, they are not the only ones responsible for the safety of the aircraft and its occupants. Air traffic controllers, airport ground staff and other emergency responders are also involved in the operation that ensues to ensure that human and material losses are minimised, especially during an emergency landing.
In order to have all these personnel prepared and ready to swing into action immediately, air traffic control would have received a declaration of an emergency from the pilot of the aircraft concerned. This is where the use of MAYDAY comes in. It is used to serve as a distress signal or warning for an emergency. The pilot-in-command would have to transmit MAYDAY three times followed by flight data (identification, position, persons on board etc.) and the type of emergency to Air Traffic Control (ATC), which will then notify ground staff for standby.
According to ICAO, the word MAYDAY spoken three times at the beginning of a message identifies a distress message. ‘Distress is a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and of requiring immediate assistance’. Therefore, distress messages have priority over all other transmissions. MAYDAY can also be used to command or impose radio silence. In this case it is added at the end of a message to impose silence when communication with an aircraft in distress is ongoing.
MAYDAY is actually derived from the French verbal form “m’aidez” which means “help me”, and its creation is informally attributed to FREDERICK STANLEY MOCKFORD who was a professional radio operator in Croydon Airport, United Kingdom.
Prior to the creation of MAYDAY, the distress call signal Morse Code SOS was used. However, it was not considered suitable for voice communication. In 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington adopted the voice call MAYDAY as the radiotelephone distress call in addition to the SOS radiotelegraph Morse Code Signal.
MAYDAY as a distress call is also used by spaceships and merchant navy.
MAYDAY as a term in aviation is not related to May Day which is a holiday that marks workers struggle.
References
- ICAO Annex 10
- www.easbcn.com
