Briefing an Approach
 

How do 121 operators like approach plates to be briefed? Some people just read the plate and others only pick portions to talk about. When doing a sim ride for an interview, what do they like to hear?

Each company typically outlines what must be briefed during a visual or instrument approach. In an ideal world, it would be best if you could find out that information as it pertains to the particular company you are interviewing with.

In lieu of that info, just follow the Jepp briefing strip. You may also brief any unusual circumstaces; such as: obstructions, special airspace in the area, runway conditions, VDP (non precision), et cetera.

A Woman's Bathing Suit
 

A good briefing should be like a woman's bathing suit or better yet, a bikini. Long enough to cover the necessary information and short enough to be interesting.

The Jepp plate format is the best way to start and use some common sense. If it's CAVU and you've been looking at the airport for 15 minutes, brief what needs to be installed for your instrument back-up. Don't forget to give a good briefing on the missed approach. One of the biggest cluster *&^%$ I've ever seen was going into ORD on a clear and 100 day when everyone was thinking about what they were going to do when we got to the gate. Unfortunately,on short final, an aircraft missed the hold short point and guess what....Opps !

If the approach is going to be solid IFR, brief everything you need to accomplish the approach including the approach light system you'll expect to see and a runway EXIT plan !

Just my two cents...devalued to $ .0108787 on today's market.

G'Luck Mate:)

Interview wise....look up some gouge websites and see what interviewers have done. Like what was said above...short(60seconds) and sweet, just might sure its the key points. I have heard(correct me if wrong) that some airline somewhere the p.f. briefs just the date and approach number to make sure that both are looking at the most current and same information.

It is normal for the PF to transfer controls while s/he performs the brief?

USMCFLYR

good thoughts thanks a lot guys

Yes!

"I'm going to plan the ILS to 16R, would you build the approach in the FMC, auto brakes 3, and let me when you're ready to brief"...."Ok, you have the aircraft"...

I look at the weather first to make sure the approach I want to brief is legal. This also a good time to double check the notams if you haven't already.

I use the Jepp briefing strip format along with "that which must be briefed" according to the FOM. More importantly, brief and verify, brief and verify. Because the PNF loaded the approach already, as I brief I verify the freq./ident, inbound course, minimums, and anything else I need for the approach is set on both sides as I brief the lateral and vertical profile (trust but verify).

Brief the missed approach or go-around profile as appropriate (I verify speed protection for the hold in the FMC here), and then talk about the runway exit and transfer of control if the PF won't taxi.

Reading what I've typed makes it sound like a 5 minute production, but it reality it takes about less than a minute to fully brief everything.

Ditto HSLD.

so the pilot flying is usually the only one who briefs the plate out loud?

At my airline the PF takes the radios and the PNF briefs the approach.

I brief it in the order it will happen (like a military mission brief). This is slightly different from the order it appears on the chart...

*Freq
*Course
GS Intercept
*DA/DH
Height Above TDZE
Terrain
Time
App Lights/PAPI
*Required VIS/RVR
Missed

* verify these items as we brief

I also mention runway length/conditions, exit direction, and any runways to hold short of.