DEPARTURE BRIEF

This guide may assist you in ensuring all relevant areas are fully considered when conducting a briefing.

It is not necessary nor desirable to brief areas that are not relevant to the impending operation. It’s important that the briefing includes “HOW” a manoeuvre is to be flown, especially high workload situations such as a
go around, non precision approach or an engine failure on take off.

“WANT” is a big picture overview to identify and mitigate against the effects of any specific threats to the impending flight.

W A N T

W — Weather

Consider any significant weather present, and discuss how to manage potential threats such weather may bring forth.

A — Aircraft status

Refer to the MEL (Minimum Equipment List). Consider any aircraft defects and/or problems, and how to manage them.

N — NOTAMS

Take into account NOTAMS for the departure/destination Airfield, applicable Navaids, or immediate en-route problems and how to mitigate their effects.

T — TEM (Threat & Error Management)

Consider terrain, ATC issues, complex / unusual procedures, change of runways, your Plan B, diversions, etc.. How to mitigate such events?

Briefs are conducted and taught differently, varying between ATOs, flight instructors, as well as companies holding AOCs. Below you may find the ‘Standard Take Off Briefing’ format which was taught to us during my Multi Crew Cooperation and Jet Orientation Courses at Simtech Aviation, Ireland.

Additionally, you may find below the format for a departure brief that was taught to me during my Commercial Pilot License training in Bartolini Air.

• I (student) am the Pilot Flying. You (instructor) are the Pilot in Command.
• We will be taking off from runway ……… TORA is…….m. TORR is……m.
• Take off method will be………(full stop/rolling/soft field)
• Flaps are set to………(Clean, T/O)
• In case of any malfunction before VR, we will abort the takeoff.
  In case of an engine failure after VR with sufficient runway remaining, we’ll land on the runway.
  With insufficient runway remaining and below……MSL (500 ft. AGL) we will land straight ahead using shallow bank to find a suitable airfield.
  With insufficient runway remaining and above……MSL (500 ft. AGL) we will return to the airport
  In case of a non-simulated failure you (the instructor) will take the flight controls and I will assist you with the communications and checklists.
• After departure we will ……… (join left hand traffic circuit to RWY25, proceed to SIERRA point, etc.) with an initial climb to …… ft. We will perform the after takeoff checks at ……MSL (200 ft AGL).
• Do you have any questions?

The above briefing should be memorised by the student pilot. While it is not essential to use all the same words, all the information has to be covered. The information in parenthesis is presented only as an example. For simplicity, students may follow this list:

• Pilots
• Runways
• Take-off method
• Flaps
• Emergency procedures
• Departure
• Questions