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DGCA Air Regulations · 61 questions

Distress, Emergency & Communications: DGCA Air Regulations Questions and Answers

61 practice questions on Distress, Emergency & Communications with answers and explanations, plus the key concepts and formulas, from the TrueHeading question bank.

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About this topic

Use this page to revise Distress, Emergency & Communications for the DGCA Air Regulations paper. Below are the key ideas first, then 12 practice questions with answers and explanations, picked from the 61 questions in the TrueHeading bank for this topic.

In short: MAYDAY: grave and imminent danger needing help now. PAN PAN: urgency, safety concern but not immediate danger.

Open the full set in the student zone to answer every question, track your accuracy and take timed mock tests.

Key concepts: Distress, Emergency & Communications

5 ideas to know cold.

MAYDAY, PAN PAN and the three phases?

MAYDAY: grave and imminent danger needing help now. PAN PAN: urgency, safety concern but not immediate danger.

  • Each said three times
  • Phases: INCERFA (uncertainty), ALERFA (alert), DETRESFA (distress)
  • Distress message: call sign, nature, intentions, position, level, people on board

Frequencies and beacons for emergencies?

Know the numbers:

  • 121.5 MHz: international VHF emergency
  • 243 MHz: military UHF emergency
  • 406 MHz ELT (with 121.5 homing)
  • Underwater locating beacon: 37.5 kHz

Ground-to-air visual signals?

Symbols laid on the ground:

  • V: require assistance
  • X: require medical assistance
  • N: no / negative
  • Y: yes / affirmative
  • →: proceeding in this direction

Lost radio contact: what do you do?

Squawk 7600 and follow the failure procedure.

  • VMC: continue in VMC and land at the nearest suitable aerodrome
  • IMC: maintain last level and speed (or minimum altitude if higher), then follow the flight plan
  • Transmit blind and listen on the guard frequency

What is the order of an ICAO distress message?

MAYDAY ×3, callsign ×3 (or "this is…"), nature of distress, intention, position/level/heading, other useful info.

  • Urgency: PAN PAN ×3
  • Frequency 121.5 MHz
  • Transponder 7700

Practice questions: Distress, Emergency & Communications

Tap “Show answer” after you have tried each one.

Q1The distress signal in radiotelephony is:

  1. HELP
  2. PAN PAN
  3. MAYDAY (three times)
  4. SECURITE
Show answer

Answer: C. MAYDAY (three times)

Followed by the name of the station addressed (if appropriate), call sign, nature of distress, intentions, position, level and heading.

Q2An aircraft in distress on a frequency should:

  1. stop transmitting
  2. squawk 7600
  3. change to 121.5 at once
  4. continue on the frequency in use unless it is advised to change
Show answer

Answer: D. continue on the frequency in use unless it is advised to change

Distress traffic has priority over all other transmissions.

Q3Radio silence may be imposed by the controller using the phrase:

  1. "STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY"
  2. "SQUELCH"
  3. "CEASE ALL TRAFFIC"
  4. "CLEAR CHANNEL"
Show answer

Answer: A. "STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY"

Used when the distress traffic needs the frequency.

Q4Transponder code 7700 should be selected:

  1. whenever the aircraft is on the ground
  2. after landing
  3. during routine flights
  4. when in an emergency, unless ATC has instructed otherwise
Show answer

Answer: D. when in an emergency, unless ATC has instructed otherwise

7700 = emergency; 7600 = radio failure; 7500 = unlawful interference.

Q5When an aircraft is unable to establish communication due to receiver failure, the pilot should:

  1. stop transmitting
  2. squawk 7700
  3. transmit reports at the scheduled times or positions, preceded by "TRANSMITTING BLIND DUE TO RECEIVER FAILURE"
  4. climb to FL 400
Show answer

Answer: C. transmit reports at the scheduled times or positions, preceded by "TRANSMITTING BLIND DUE TO RECEIVER FAILURE"

Transmitting blind may help ATC to know the aircraft status.

Q6The visual distress signal of a parachute flare showing red light is:

  1. distress
  2. a landing signal
  3. a taxi signal
  4. normal
Show answer

Answer: A. distress

Red flare or rocket is a distress signal.

Q7The visual ground signal "X" laid out on the ground by survivors means:

  1. yes
  2. require assistance
  3. no
  4. require medical assistance
Show answer

Answer: D. require medical assistance

X = require medical assistance.

Q8A search and rescue region (SRR) is generally:

  1. coincident with an FIR
  2. a control zone
  3. a danger area
  4. a TMA
Show answer

Answer: A. coincident with an FIR

Rescue coordination centres (RCC) are responsible for each SRR.

Q9A ditching procedure includes:

  1. using lifejackets and landing parallel to the swell if possible
  2. landing into the swell only
  3. removing all seat belts
  4. landing across the swell
Show answer

Answer: A. using lifejackets and landing parallel to the swell if possible

Usually land along the swell or on the up-slope of the swell, into wind where possible, as advised.

Q10A pilot who suspects a bomb on board should:

  1. inform ATC and land as soon as possible
  2. squawk 7600
  3. ignore the threat
  4. continue to destination
Show answer

Answer: A. inform ATC and land as soon as possible

Follow the operator's procedures.

Q11VHF communications range is generally:

  1. global
  2. very short (under 1 nm)
  3. line of sight
  4. over the horizon
Show answer

Answer: C. line of sight

Range increases with altitude: approx 1.23 √h nm (h in ft).

Q12SELCAL is used to:

  1. provide navigation
  2. change frequency
  3. alert the crew of a ground-to-air call by a tone code
  4. show weather
Show answer

Answer: C. alert the crew of a ground-to-air call by a tone code

The crew need not monitor HF continuously.

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