We’ve all heard that briefing. You know, the one where the Captain tells the First Officer to speak up if anything doesn’t look right, but judging by the body language or perfunctory delivery of the message you wonder if the Captain really means it, and if the First Officer truly buys it. Briefings should be a Resource, not a burden. How do you get beyond the stale, legalese-type briefing that sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher and arrive at the dynamic, two-way communication needed to create a shared mental model?

First, make the briefing as interactive as possible. If only one person is engaged in the conversation, it isn’t a conversation. You may be required by company policy to brief certain items as a Captain or the Pilot Flying, but that doesn’t mean you have to hog up all the dialogue. Instead of telling the other pilot what to do during a rejected takeoff, ask him what he expects from you. Instead of telling the other pilot about the terrain in the area, ask her what terrain poses a potential risk. Review and verify the waypoints in the FMC and have the other pilot follow along on the dispatch release, SID, or STAR. Then, intentionally make a mistake just to see if they are really listening. And if they catch your mistake, thank them profusely.

If you are using single-pilot operations, brief a supervisor or peer and explain your plan. Don’t just listen to the weather briefing, ask questions. Pretend someone you care for is on the flight and review your plan looking for reasons not to make the flight. Then, once you have identified the risks, review the Resources available for mitigating those them.

The more interaction, the better the briefing.

Briefings highlight things that are different, not the things that are standard. Don’t discuss details considered to be part of a standard policy or procedure. If you discuss every callout or switch movement for a certain phase, you imply that the other pilot is not fully qualified in the seat position. Don’t insult a qualified pilot by rehearsing basic procedures. Instead, mention the things that might distract or degrade performance in the given situation. Mention any Additive Conditions, like a wet runway, low visibility, or gusty winds, that might impact your performance. Bring up any Crew Factors, like lack of recent experience with a CAT III approach, upcoming vacation, or contract negotiations and acknowledge them as potential risks. Simply repeating or rehearsing the steps in a standard procedure minimizes the impact and insults the professionalism of the pilot next to you.

The same rule applies If you are single pilot. Evaluate your own proficiency to determine the detail required in the briefing. If it’s been a while since you’ve flown an instrument approach, take some time to brief yourself on the procedure. Maybe even consider setting higher personal minimums to mitigate risk. If you just flew the approach yesterday, focus on what is different today.

Briefings highlight things that are different, not the things that are standard.

Keep it simple, stupid. As one old Captain said, “This ain’t a mission to Mars. Let’s not make it one.” By definition, a briefing is, well, brief. It isn’t any overcomplicated lecture on the aerodynamics of flight or the workings of a high-bypass, turbofan engine. Discuss the pertinent points. As a technique, start with your current position in space and brief the basic information sequentially, highlighting any unusual risks. If you find yourself getting long winded, eliminate any items that should already be foundational knowledge or skill. The same applies to single-pilot operations. If the briefing is overly complicated, will you be able to manage the workload and execute the plan by yourself?

A good briefing is a simple one.

Briefings can be a valuable resource, but not if they become a perfunctory burden to satisfy a policy or check a legal box. Make briefings interactive, focused on what’s different, and simple.

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