On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 19:06:47 -0400, Peter R.
wrote:

ATC answered, "Thank you and if there is anything you need, please
ask." Knowing what she was implying, I kept the "Declare Emergency"
call on my mind and ready to use had the engine began to run rough.

Peter,

You handled the problem well and I enjoyed reading about your thought
process. They were clear and logical, and the TAT teachings obviously
helped.

However, I think all too often we GA pilots are reluctant to declare an
emergency. And I know I would have in the situation you were in.

Although you were not in a DISTRESS situation, as defined by the AIM, you
were clearly in an URGENCY situation. And BOTH are reasons for declaring
an emergency.

I've never had to fill out any paper work, or even answer any FAA
questions, on the various times I've declared an emergency. On two
occasions, when the fire trucks were rolled, I was asked to provide my name
and the nature of the emergency -- but this was for the local emergency
team logs. But I would expect even FAA paperwork, if required, to be
fairly innocuous. I've declared in both distress and urgency situations.

There's really no downside to using the 'E' word. And it's use in your
situation would have been congruent with AIM recommendations.

I recall a USAF pilot declaring an emergency after an engine failure in a
4-engine airplane, but proceeding on to home base which was hundreds of
miles away. And then there's the apocryphal USAF story about a fighter low
on fuel in Vietnam who had to delay his landing because a B52 had declared
an engine out emergency and had to execute the "dreaded seven-engine
approach" :-).

=========================
AIM 6-1-2. Emergency Condition- Request Assistance Immediately

a. An emergency can be either a distress or *urgency* condition as
defined in the Pilot/Controller Glossary. Pilots do not hesitate to declare
an emergency when they are faced with distress conditions such as fire,
mechanical failure, or structural damage. However, some are reluctant to
report an *urgency* condition when they encounter situations which may not
be immediately perilous, but are potentially catastrophic. An aircraft is
in at least an *urgency* condition the moment the pilot becomes doubtful
about position, fuel endurance, weather, or any other condition that could
adversely affect flight safety. This is the time to ask for help, not after
the situation has developed into a distress condition.

-----------------------
PC/G: URGENCY- A condition of being concerned about safety and of requiring
timely but not immediate assistance; a potential distress condition.
========================


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)