Definition
An ICAO condition concerning the safety of an aircraft or other vehicle, or of some person on board or within sight, which does not require immediate assistance.
Plain English
A serious situation that needs prompt attention from ATC or others, but is not yet a life-or-death emergency. The pilot needs help soon, but not right this second.
Context Anchor
Used in radio communication and emergency procedures, especially when deciding whether a PAN-PAN urgency call is more appropriate than a MAYDAY distress call.
Derivation
From Latin urgere, meaning "to press" or "to push." An urgent matter is one that presses on you — it needs handling soon, but not necessarily this instant.
Why Pilots Care
Correct use ensures air traffic control gives the right priority without triggering full emergency response procedures.
Intuition Check
Urgency does not simply mean “hurry.” In this context, it means a safety concern that needs prompt attention but does not yet require immediate rescue or emergency assistance.
Example Sentence 1
After the pilot noticed a fuel leak with plenty of fuel still on board, he declared an urgency condition with "PAN-PAN" and requested priority handling to the nearest airport.
Example Sentence 2
The crew transmitted an urgency call when a passenger experienced a medical problem requiring priority landing clearance.