Author Topic: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?  (Read 54236 times)

Offline Vitor De Simone

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What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« on: August 05, 2013, 10:14:26 PM »
I would like to have your answers the best answer will win a iphone 5 32g.



Offline beechsundowner

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Re: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2013, 09:23:17 AM »
Hee hee, the difference is between the two is how you annunciate it on the radio.

Pan Pan = urgency
May day = emergency

I'll pass on the phone, I've got the 64G flavor  :-D

Offline notaperfectpilot

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Re: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2013, 10:36:52 AM »
Here is what Wikipedia says....

"Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications."

and

"Pan-pan indicates an urgent situation of a lower order than a "grave and imminent threat requiring immediate assistance", such as a mechanical breakdown or a medical problem."

from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayday_(distress_signal)

so, basically, as beechsundowner said, one is urgency, the other is an emergency.


Offline soo601

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Re: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2013, 08:26:18 PM »
Well May Day is pronounced like you think it would be, like the month and day.  Pan Pan is not how you would think -- like the pots and pans in your kitchen -- but more like Pawn Pawn -- with the "a" as in father.

I always thought it was like the Little Caesar commercials for their pan pizza until I heard the Coast Guard transmit it.   :-)

Offline InterpreDemon

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Re: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2013, 02:24:07 AM »
Pan Pan - "There is a chance we are going to die"
Mayday - "We're dead"

Offline RonR

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Re: What are the differences between May Day and Pan Pan?
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2013, 12:13:02 PM »
Pan Pan - "There is a chance we are going to die"
Mayday - "We're dead"

That about sums it up  :-D