ASOG Article of the Month | May – June 2023
ASOG Author | Patrick Ryan
Countless aviation accidents can, in some ways, be connected to mistakes in flight preparation. Flight preparation is a shift from normal “feet on the ground” life to a dynamic flight situation. Preflight briefings are an essential part of flight preparation and provide a critical period for team building and a moment to gather and review all pertinent operational information related to an upcoming flight. This is especially true for crews who operate in the Aerial Work or Multi-Mission sector.
Preflight briefings should help all crew members, e.g., pilots, sensor operators, hoist operators, flight nurses, etc., understand all phases of flight and what actions are required. Additionally, it should help all crew members know the status of the aircraft and associated equipment, plus any particular hazards or events related to the flight. To maximize safety and achieve the best flight results, all crew members should make it part of their DNA to conduct high-quality preflight briefings.
Every aircrew should focus on critical objectives and elements when conducting an excellent preflight brief. To achieve this, your future preflight briefings should include the following briefing objectives and elements.
Briefing Objectives
When conducting any preflight briefing, all crewmembers should cover the following objectives:
- Confirm crewmembers’ roles and responsibilities
- Foster questioning and feedback, plus develop crew synergy
- Review mission or flight requirements
- Review all phases of the flight to their appropriate level of detail
- Examine specific operational plans and discuss expectations
- Ensure complete understanding and agreement on the correct sequence of actions under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions.
Important Elements
The specific elements of a preflight briefing should include the following:
- Review the fatigue state of crewmembers
- Review the status of passengers
- Review the status of ground support personnel and organizations
- Review the status of the aircraft (e.g., inoperative items, recent repairs, etc.)
- Review the status of specialized equipment (e.g., sensors, down-links, hoists, etc.)
- Review the departure and arrival airports, routes, and alternate airfields
- Review takeoff, departure, approach, and landing conditions (e.g., weather, runway conditions, special hazards, etc.)
- Review navigation procedures, including the intended use of digital systems
- Review on-board and off-board communication procedures
- Review emergency or abnormal procedures as applicable (e.g., rejected takeoff, diversion, missed approach/go-around, engine out, bird strike, etc.)
Conclusion
Conducting effective briefings is an integral part of flight preparation. Without proper preparation, a crew will not have the necessary SA (Situational Awareness) to fly safely and efficiently. Briefings are necessary at various points in the flight, from the base of operation before taxiing to the departure runway through taxiing to parking.
Additionally, preflight briefings should be tailored to the specific conditions of the flight and focus on the items relevant to a particular phase of a flight (e.g., takeoff, en route, area work, landing, etc.). Most importantly, briefings should be interactive, allow for dialogue between all crewmembers, and be conducted during low-workload periods.
So, the next time you fly, apply the essential elements and objectives of an excellent preflight briefing. Doing so could make a big difference between having a “good day at the office” or NOT!
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