CFC Safety & Emergency Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct phraseology for a flight communicator to use when relaying an urgent message on behalf of another station?
- 'ALL STATIONS, URGENT MESSAGE FOLLOWS'
- 'PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN, ALL STATIONS' followed by the message (Correct answer)
- 'MAYDAY RELAY' followed by the original message
- 'SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE' followed by the message
Correct answer: 'PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN, ALL STATIONS' followed by the message
PAN-PAN (three times) followed by 'ALL STATIONS' is the correct urgency relay phraseology.
Question 2: When transmitting an emergency message, which information should be included FIRST according to standard procedure?
- Aircraft position and altitude
- Name of the station being called and aircraft identification (Correct answer)
- Nature of the emergency and number of persons on board
- Pilot's intentions and fuel remaining
Correct answer: Name of the station being called and aircraft identification
Standard emergency transmission begins with the station being called, then your aircraft identification, to establish contact before relaying emergency details.
Question 3: A pilot reports smoke in the cockpit but the aircraft is maintaining altitude and control. This situation is classified as:
- Distress — MAYDAY
- Urgency — PAN-PAN (Correct answer)
- Safety — SECURITE
- Routine — no special classification
Correct answer: Urgency — PAN-PAN
Smoke in the cockpit with maintained control is an urgency (PAN-PAN) situation unless it escalates to immediate threat to life.
Question 4: Which frequency is designated as the International Aeronautical Emergency Frequency and must be monitored by all IFR aircraft?
- 118.0 MHz
- 121.5 MHz (Correct answer)
- 122.8 MHz
- 123.45 MHz
Correct answer: 121.5 MHz
121.5 MHz is the international VHF aeronautical emergency frequency monitored by all IFR aircraft and ATC facilities.
Question 5: When ATC uses the phrase 'SPEAK SLOWER' during an emergency exchange, what should the communicator do?
- Repeat the message on a different frequency
- Reduce speech rate to approximately 60 words per minute
- Switch to plain language and reduce pace (Correct answer)
- Confirm the message was received before reducing speed
Correct answer: Switch to plain language and reduce pace
The communicator should switch to plain language at a reduced speaking pace to ensure clarity during high-stress communications.
Question 6: A transponder code of 7500 indicates which emergency condition?
- Radio communications failure
- Emergency / general distress
- Unlawful interference (hijacking) (Correct answer)
- Loss of pressurization
Correct answer: Unlawful interference (hijacking)
Squawk 7500 is the discrete code indicating unlawful interference or hijacking.
Question 7: How long must a distress or urgency frequency (121.5 MHz) be monitored before transmitting a non-emergency message on that frequency?
- 5 seconds
- 15 seconds (Correct answer)
- 30 seconds
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 15 seconds
Operators should listen for at least 15 seconds on 121.5 MHz before transmitting to ensure they don't interrupt an ongoing emergency transmission.
CFC Safety & Emergency Communication 3
What is the correct phraseology for a flight communicator to use when relaying an urgent message on behalf of another station?