Ronnie Bischof

28th Nov 2006

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

Corrected entry: The radio calls made by the copilot do not adhere to proper radio procedure calls for aviation. The call letter code is incorrect, not bearing any resemblance to an alpha code for the identifying flight and number, the order of making the Mayday call is incorrect, he should call Mayday 3 times first, then his identification, and the call for the pilot having a perceived heart attack should not be a mayday call, but a Pan, Pan , Pan call. The difference is a Mayday call is for imminent danger to the plane, such as catastrophic engine failure, likely to result in a crash. A Pan call is to notify ATC that an emergency has occurred (such as medical) but the plane is not in danger of crashing. The co-pilot for a major airline would be able to fly the plane without the captain, so the plane is not in immediate danger. Yet.

Correction: This is not fully true! A Mayday call is a distress signal, when the airplane or any person on board is in serious and/or imminent danger and requiers immediate assistance. So if a person on board has a heart attack or even if it is only suspected the plane needs to land asap. Our company policy, for example, is to land on the next suitable airfield! A PAN PAN call is conducted when an urgency prevails, where urgency is defined as follows: Urgency is a condition concerning the safety of an aircraft or a person on board which doesn't require immediate assistance. Now a person having a heart attack does require immediate assistance, believe me! As for the not calling 3 times mayday. The distress signal is Mayday, PREFERABLY spoken three times, and followed by as much information as possible about the aircraft and the prevailing situation. I've been in distress once in my flying career, it was in South Africa, shortly after takeoff, I couldn't even say the callsign of the aircraft I was so focused on the hill that grew in front of me...

Ronnie Bischof

Corrected entry: In the scene where the boy is bitten on the hand, the passenger asks the stewardess to bring her some Olive Oil to put on the bite. I've flown first class before and I know of no airline stocking Olive Oil.

Correction: I work in a Business Aviation company and have flown 1st Class many times, if you know the crew on board, you can get everything on a plane. Pay for it and you get what you want (except of course certain dangerous goods).

Ronnie Bischof

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