Low Fuel — PAN to MAYDAY FUEL

What this scenario covers

1. Exchange 1

   Make the urgency call: PAN PAN ×3, station, callsign, the problem (minimum fuel), endurance and your request.

   💡 Until fuel drops below final reserve this is an urgency (PAN) — and in the US, "minimum fuel" by itself is only an advisory that implies NO priority. State endurance in minutes and make your priority request explicit.

2. Exchange 2

   ATC: “Cessna Two One Golf, Albuquerque Approach, roger, expect vectors ILS runway two six, descend and maintain six thousand.”

   Read back the descent and the expected approach. The level is a mandatory readback.

   💡 A descend-and-maintain instruction is an altitude clearance — read the level back in full. US phraseology is "descend and maintain [altitude]", not the UK "descend to altitude".

3. Exchange 3

   Fuel has now dropped below final reserve. Escalate to a declared fuel emergency, state endurance and demand priority.

   💡 When usable fuel on landing will be below final reserve, declare "MAYDAY FUEL" — an explicit statement that priority is required and expected. Failing to escalate from PAN leaves ATC unaware you now have an emergency.

4. Exchange 4

   ATC: “Cessna Two One Golf, roger MAYDAY, cleared to land runway two six, squawk seven seven zero zero, emergency equipment standing by.”

   Read back the landing clearance and squawk.

   💡 7700 is the worldwide emergency squawk. Read the landing clearance back in full including the runway, then fly the airplane — the radio work is done.