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Mayday! Mayday! Trivia Quiz

The word 'mayday' is a code word used internationally in life-threatening situations. This quiz tests players' knowledge of the term and several maritime and aviation disasters. Best of luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by Triviaballer. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Triviaballer

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
314,845

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2095

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (8/10), Guest 107 (10/10), BABIO (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The distress call 'mayday' should not be confused with the public holiday 'May Day'. From which language was the term 'mayday' derived? Hint

French

Spanish

English

German

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. How many times should the word mayday be spoken at the beginning of a distress call? Hint

Three

Five

Four

Two

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Question 3 of 10

3. In the event that radio communication is unavailable, what mayday distress code should be entered on an aircraft's transponder? Hint

1200

7700

7500

7777

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The distress call mayday was invented in 1923 by Frederick Stanley Mockford. What city's Croydon Airport did Mockford work for when he originated the term 'mayday'? Hint

Paris

London

New York City

Rome

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Question 5 of 10

5. The term mayday should only be used when there is grave and imminent danger to life. What other term should be spoken in situations that aren't life-threatening? Hint

Pan-pan

Save our ship

Cospas-cospas

Emon-emon

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What airline suffered a horrific accident on June 1, 2009 when Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 people? Hint

Air France

Delta Air Lines

Azul Brazilian Airlines

Frontier Airlines

7. In 1974 Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crashed in a forested area of France resulting in the death of 346 people. What part of the plane detached in the accident resulting in an explosive decompression? Hint

Row 16's right window

Left wing

Cargo door

Rudder

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. What passenger ferry's fire and resulting sinking did Philippine President Corazon Aquino call "a national tragedy of harrowing proportions" in 1987? Hint

MV Do�a Paz

Le Joola

SS Kiangya

Al Salam Boccaccio 98

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Question 9 of 10

9. In what body of water did the RMS Empress of Ireland collide with the SS Storstad on May 29, 1914? Hint

Mississippi River

Saint Lawrence River

Baltic Sea

Persian Gulf

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of the following would carry the most severe penalty in regards to a mayday call? Hint

Making a hoax mayday call.

Making a mayday call for another ship.

Making a mayday call to report a small fire on board.

Making a mayday call in a hopeless situation.

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Nov 29 2024 : Guest 174: 8/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The distress call 'mayday' should not be confused with the public holiday 'May Day'. From which language was the term 'mayday' derived?

Answer: French

When translated from its French derivation, 'mayday' literally means 'help me' ('m'aider', shortened from 'venez m'aider - 'come, help me').

2. How many times should the word mayday be spoken at the beginning of a distress call?

Answer: Three

The correct way to begin the distress call would be to say mayday three times, the name of the vessel or aircraft three times and then mayday and the name of the distressed vessel/aircraft once again. After that the position and situation are given to better assist the rescue team's preparation.

3. In the event that radio communication is unavailable, what mayday distress code should be entered on an aircraft's transponder?

Answer: 7700

Using a transponder for communication by aircraft is often referred to as 'squawking'. Other distress codes include 7500 which is used in the case of a hijacking and 7600 when communications have been lost.

4. The distress call mayday was invented in 1923 by Frederick Stanley Mockford. What city's Croydon Airport did Mockford work for when he originated the term 'mayday'?

Answer: London

Mockford selected a word that was derived from a French term because a large part of the air traffic at the time was between London and Paris. The word 'mayday' was chosen because it's easily understood by pilots and emergency staff.

5. The term mayday should only be used when there is grave and imminent danger to life. What other term should be spoken in situations that aren't life-threatening?

Answer: Pan-pan

The distress call pan-pan gave rise to the backronym 'possible assistance needed'. Instances in which pan-pan may be used are when a vessel is running out of fuel or lost.

6. What airline suffered a horrific accident on June 1, 2009 when Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 people?

Answer: Air France

Air France Flight 447 left from Rio de Janeiro's Gale�o International Airport and was supposed to arrive at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. It is believed that the plane crashed after experiencing 12 minutes of turbulence and severe thunderstorms.

Answer: Cargo door

The explosion resulting from the detachment of the cargo door caused the cargo area's floor to collapse which in turn cut several of the control cables. This caused the pilots to lose control of the aircraft's rudder and its second engine.

8. What passenger ferry's fire and resulting sinking did Philippine President Corazon Aquino call "a national tragedy of harrowing proportions" in 1987?

Answer: MV Do�a Paz

The MV Do�a Paz collided with the oil tanker MT vector on December 20, 1987 in the Tablas Strait of the Philippines. The crash resulted in a fire that is believed to have caused the death of more than 4,000 people.

9. In what body of water did the RMS Empress of Ireland collide with the SS Storstad on May 29, 1914?

Answer: Saint Lawrence River

Due to a heavy fog in the area, the Norwegian collier Storstad crashed into the Empress of Ireland's starboard side causing water to overflow on to the ship and drown many of its passengers. A total of 1,012 people died in the collision making it one of Canada's worst maritime disasters.

10. Which of the following would carry the most severe penalty in regards to a mayday call?

Answer: Making a hoax mayday call.

Mayday calls precipitate a search-and-rescue operation from response personnel which are usually very costly and dangerous. Thus, hoax mayday calls carry very severe penalties. In the United States a hoax mayday call is a federal crime that can result in a six year incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000.

Source: Author Triviaballer

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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