Pan Pan Pan is also the term used in the skies over Florida and S Alabama for simulated emergencies in Navy flight school. While the call used in ordered emergencies are supposed to just be over the intercom system (ICS), a harder pull on the switch would send them over the air. To avoid ATC and others from responding should the student ‘exceed his detent’, Pan pan pan told everyone it was simulated. In 16 years, never heard it for real. Mayday on the other hand is action stations.
We followed the Viking cruise ship Mayday yesterday as closely as possible, that could have had a horrible ending, they were close to the lee shore.