{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-overseas-territories-order-2013/schedule-4/paragraph-63",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-overseas-territories-order-2013/schedule-4/paragraph-63.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2013/2870",
  "legislation_title": "The Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-overseas-territories-order-2013",
  "path": "schedule/4/paragraph/63",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "63",
  "heading": "Distress, urgency and safety signals",
  "text": "(1) The following signals, given either together or separately before the sending of a message, signify that an aircraft is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance—\n(a) by radiotelephony—\nthe spoken word ‘MAYDAY’;\n(b) by visual signalling—\n(i) the signal SOS (… --- …);\n(ii) a succession of pyrotechnic lights fired at short intervals each showing a single red light;\n(iii) a parachute flare showing a red light;\n(c) by sound signalling other than radiotelephony—\n(i) the signal SOS (… --- …);\n(ii) a continuous sounding with any sound apparatus.\n(2) The following signals, given either together or separately, before the sending of a message, signify that the pilot-in-command of the aircraft wishes to give notice of difficulties which compel it to land but that he does not require immediate assistance—\n(a) a succession of white pyrotechnic lights;\n(b) the repeated switching on and off of the aircraft landing lights;\n(c) the repeated switching on and off of its navigation lights, in such a manner as to be clearly distinguishable from the flashing navigation lights described in rule 49.\n(3) The following signals, given either together or separately, indicate that the pilot-in-command of the aircraft has an urgent message to transmit concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft, vehicle or other property or of a person on board or within sight of the aircraft from which the signal is given—\n(a) by radiotelephony—\nthe repeated spoken word, ‘PAN PAN’;\n(b) by visual signalling—\nthe signal XXX (- .. -- .. -- .. -);\n(c) by sound signalling other than radiotelephony—\nthe signal XXX (- .. -- .. -- .. -).",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 4 para. 63 in force at 1.1.2014, see art. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/2870/schedule/4/paragraph/63",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T00:35:08.016872+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}