Emergency Reference Card

📡

Emergency Transponder Codes

7700 EMERGENCY General emergency / distress

7600 RADIO FAILURE Communication failure (RTF)

7500 UNLAWFUL ACT Hijack / unlawful interference

Code	Situation	ATC Action
7700	Squawk observed on radar	Confirm with aircraft, clear airspace, notify supervisor
7600	RTF failure	Light signals, SELCAL, try guard 121.5, follow ICAO RTF procedures
7500	Unlawful interference	Do NOT acknowledge on RT. Notify supervisor, pass to next sector. Do not broadcast.
7000	VFR conspicuity (Europe)	Standard VFR squawk Levant region

📻

Emergency Frequencies

International Distress / GuardVHF emergency frequency. Monitored continuously.

121.500

Military GuardUHF emergency. Monitored by military ATC.

243.000

VATSIM UnicomUncontrolled / pre-flight. Not for emergencies.

122.800

Beirut ACC (OLBA_CTR)Primary en-route / FIR frequency

128.800

Beirut Approach (OLBA_APP)TMA / approach control

119.700

Beirut Tower (OLBA_TWR)Aerodrome control

118.900

Damascus Approach (OSDI_APP)TMA control

119.100

Baghdad Control (ORBB_CTR)Iraqi FIR en-route

132.025

🎙️

ICAO Emergency Phraseology

🔴 Pilot transmits — MAYDAY (Distress)

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
[ATC callsign], [Aircraft callsign],
[Nature of emergency],
[Intentions], [Position], [Level],
Squawking 7700, [Souls on board if known]

🟡 Pilot transmits — PAN-PAN (Urgency)

PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN
[ATC callsign], [Aircraft callsign],
[Nature of urgency],
[Assistance required], [Position], [Level]

🟢 Controller acknowledges MAYDAY

[Aircraft callsign], [ATC callsign],
MAYDAY acknowledged. [Instructions — vectors, altitude, runway].
Report intentions.

✅ Cancellation of MAYDAY

[ATC callsign], [Aircraft callsign],
CANCEL MAYDAY CANCEL MAYDAY CANCEL MAYDAY.
Reason: [brief description].

⚡

Controller Immediate Actions

1
7700 (EMERGENCY) on radarAttempt contact on last known frequency. If no reply, try 121.500. Advise supervisor immediately. Clear conflicting traffic. Prepare emergency runway / vectors.
2
7600 (RTF FAILURE)Transmit blind: "[callsign], if you read, squawk ident." Observe for ident response. Apply RTF failure procedures per ICAO Doc 4444 §15.5. Aircraft should proceed per ATC clearance then filed route at last assigned level.
3
7500 (UNLAWFUL ACT / HIJACK)Do not transmit suspicious information on RT. Notify supervisor using discreet means. Continue providing ATC service normally. Coordinate silently with adjacent units.
4
Declared minimum fuel"MINIMUM FUEL" — acknowledge, expedite sequencing, advise other traffic to expect delay. Not an emergency itself.
5
FUEL EMERGENCY / MAYDAYFUELTreat as full MAYDAY. Immediate sequence priority. Issue direct routing, clear runway. Notify ARFF (Fire service).
6
Medical emergency on boardIssue lowest workload routing. Request aircraft state: souls, fuel, aircraft type. Coordinate with adjacent ATC. Notify aerodrome services at destination.
7
Multiple simultaneous emergenciesPrioritise based on severity: MAYDAY > PAN > Minimum fuel. Segregate on separate frequencies if available. Call for supervisor immediately.

⏱️

RTF Failure — Pilot Actions (ICAO)

When an aircraft experiences radio failure, the pilot will attempt to re-establish contact. Controllers should expect the following sequence:

Attempt contact on last assigned frequency IMMEDIATE

Try other assigned frequencies + 121.5 +1 MIN

Squawk 7600 +2 MIN

Proceed on last ATC clearance IFR RULES

If VMC — land as soon as practicable VMC

If IMC — fly route/SID/STAR/filed plan IMC

Controller: Transmit blind on last freq

[Callsign], [ATC unit]. If you read, squawk IDENT.
[Callsign], if you read, turn right heading [XXX] and squawk IDENT.

📏

Minimum Separation — Quick Reference

Type	Environment	Minimum
Radar — horizontal	En-route	5 NM
Radar — horizontal	Terminal (≤60 NM)	3 NM
Vertical	Below FL290 (RVSM off)	1000 FT
Vertical	FL290–FL410 (RVSM)	1000 FT
Vertical	Above FL410	2000 FT
Wake Turbulence — HEAVY behind HEAVY	ILS approach	4 NM
Wake Turbulence — MEDIUM behind HEAVY	ILS approach	5 NM
Wake Turbulence — LIGHT behind HEAVY	ILS approach	6 NM
Procedural — same track	No radar	10 MIN
Oceanic standard	No radar	50 NM / FL

RVSM: FL290–FL410 available for appropriately equipped aircraft. Verify RVSM status before assigning levels within block.

🌀

Wake Turbulence Categories

ICAO Cat.	MTOW	Example Aircraft
J — SUPER	>560,000 kg	A380
H — HEAVY	>136,000 kg	B747, B777, A330, A340, B787, A350
M — MEDIUM	7,000–136,000 kg	A320, B737, A321, E175, CRJ
L — LIGHT	≤7,000 kg	C172, PA28, King Air

RECAT-EU applies at some European airports (replaces ICAO WT cats with A–F spectrum). Levant region airports use standard ICAO categories unless notified by NOTAM.

✈️

Levant FIR Key Navaids & Fixes

FIR/Airport	ICAO	Elevation	ILS/Key Freq
Beirut Rafic Hariri	OLBA	87 ft	109.10 (ILS 03)
Damascus Intl	OSDI	2020 ft	110.30 (ILS 05R)
Latakia Bassel Assad	OSLK	78 ft	110.75 (ILS 17)
Baghdad Intl	ORBI	114 ft	109.90 (ILS 15R)
Basra Intl	ORMM	11 ft	111.50 (ILS 14)
Amman Queen Alia	OJAM	2395 ft	109.30 (ILS 08)

Levant FIR Boundaries (major FIR fixes)

LOGSU · LADOL · GOREV · KEPAK · LOMUD · LUKEP · NATOD · DIMAG · BOSRA
Coordinate at boundary fixes with LCCC, LLLL, HECA, ORBB as applicable. See current LoA for transfer levels.

📚

Regulatory References

Document	Scope
ICAO Doc 4444 (PANS-ATM)	Primary ATC procedures reference. Chapter 15 covers emergencies.
ICAO Doc 9432 (Manual of Radiotelephony)	Standard phraseology including emergency calls.
ICAO Annex 2	Rules of the air — distress/urgency provisions.
ICAO Annex 10 Vol II	Communication procedures, transponder modes.
VATSIM CoC §B10	Emergency procedures on the network.
Levant vACC MATS Part 1	Local emergency handling, FIR-specific procedures.
Levant vACC LoAs	Emergency diversion coordination with adjacent FIRs.

VATSIM note: Real-world emergency procedures are simulated on VATSIM. If a pilot declares a non-simulated emergency ("real-world emergency"), this takes precedence — direct them to disconnect and contact real authorities.

⚡ Emergency & Contingency Card