AIM

10/12/17

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Distress and Urgency Procedures

(4)

If unable to provide this information,

use code words and/or transponder as follows:

Spoken Words

TRANSPONDER SEVEN FIVE ZERO ZERO

Meaning

I am being hijacked/forced to a new destination

Transponder Setting

Mode 3/A, Code 7500

NOTE

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Code 7500 will never be assigned by ATC without prior
notification from the pilot that the aircraft is being
subjected to unlawful interference. The pilot should refuse
the assignment of Code 7500 in any other situation and
inform the controller accordingly. Code 7500 will trigger
the special emergency indicator in all radar ATC facilities.

c.

Air traffic controllers will acknowledge and

confirm receipt of transponder Code 7500 by asking
the pilot to verify it. If the aircraft is not being
subjected to unlawful interference, the pilot should
respond to the query by broadcasting in the clear that
the aircraft is not being subjected to unlawful
interference. Upon receipt of this information, the
controller will request the pilot to verify the code
selection depicted in the code selector windows in the
transponder control panel and change the code to the
appropriate setting. If the pilot replies in the
affirmative or does not reply, the controller will not
ask further questions but will flight follow, respond to
pilot requests and notify appropriate authorities.

d.

If it is possible to do so without jeopardizing the

safety of the flight, the pilot of a hijacked passenger
aircraft, after departing from the cleared routing over
which the aircraft was operating, will attempt to do
one or more of the following things, insofar as
circumstances may permit:

1.

Maintain a true airspeed of no more than

400 knots, and preferably an altitude of between
10,000 and 25,000 feet.

2.

Fly a course toward the destination which the

hijacker has announced.

e.

If these procedures result in either radio contact

or air intercept, the pilot will attempt to comply with
any instructions received which may direct the
aircraft to an appropriate landing field or alter the
aircraft’s flight path off its current course, away from
protected airspace.

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5. Fuel Dumping

a.

Should it become necessary to dump fuel, the

pilot should immediately advise ATC. Upon receipt
of information that an aircraft will dump fuel, ATC
will broadcast or cause to be broadcast immediately
and every 3 minutes thereafter the following on
appropriate ATC and FSS radio frequencies:

EXAMPLE

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Attention all aircraft 

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 fuel dumping in progress over 

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(location) at (altitude) by (type aircraft) (flight direction).

b.

Upon receipt of such a broadcast, pilots of

aircraft affected, which are not on IFR flight plans or
special VFR clearances, should clear the area
specified in the advisory. Aircraft on IFR flight plans
or special VFR clearances will be provided specific
separation by ATC. At the termination of the fuel
dumping operation, pilots should advise ATC. Upon
receipt of such information, ATC will issue, on the
appropriate frequencies, the following:

EXAMPLE

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ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT 

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 FUEL DUMPING BY 

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(type aircraft) 

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 TERMINATED.