Your PAX / emergency brief - how much do you go into it?

[Guest Brett Campany]

Hey guys, since I've been doing these forced landings, I've been thinking about my PAX brief and emergency brief. While I was working for Surveillance Australia we had a pretty detailed emergency brief, it's also the same where I work now as well.

 

But when it comes down to your PAX in your aircraft, what kind of brief do you give as a standard brief and as an emergency brief.

 

I'm only thinking this because we do this for enjoyment and we don't want to scare the pants off our PAX before we even leave the ground.

 

So do you have an extensive brief, is it different depending on who you fly with or do you just enjoy the flight and not worry about anything unless it happens?

 

 

[turboplanner]

"Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!"

 

Instructor/pupil

 

Have only experienced limited general briefings, but detailed briefings on who was going to do what during the exercise

 

Charter

 

Over the years I'd have to say briefings have been very brief.

 

"Don't step there!, Don't touch that!" and prop strike injuries are a good example of where a pre-briefing would have been better.

 

I'd recommend using the Rudi Giuliani system and limiting any spoken briefing to 90 seconds which is about the absobtion limit of the average person.

 

A written briefing is also not a bad idea - saves time and they have more time to absorb more detail.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

What about "in the event of an emergency" and those kinds of briefs for any PAX?

 

 

[turboplanner]

That's more or less what I was including, have rarely heard a murmur when going on Charter flights.

 

The written one has the benefit of acting as a legal warning (ref recent posts where we discussed public liability).

 

There's two aspects:

 

1. What you would like to tell them

 

2. What, usually with adrenaline pumping, they will absorb.

 

I found over the years with new open wheel speedway drivers, that they only absorbed the first sentence, so kept it to the key message. (they obviously had received extensive advice, verbal and written, preceeding the first race)

 

 

[facthunter]

Absolute minimum.

 

as an ABSOLUTE minimum cover keeping clear of/ not touching controls and the means of exiting the aircraft. The seat belt being correctly tensioned and fastened, should be covered when you get in, so that it would also be effective if the engine failed during the take off phase. I would not go into what you will do in every conceivable emergency, or you might find that the passenger wants to get out, at that point. Nev..

 

 

[Guest pedrok]

Prior to start up, I show them the door latches and a quick 20 sec brief on the rudders and control column. Brief about the radio, and say "dont touch the stick or rudders as you may get me a spot of bother that I may not have the skills to get out off.

 

I mention that if something goes wrong I will talk them through it, except on takeoff - if something happens at that moment I may be busy and will give a debrief. Once up -if they are first time flyers - I expain how the gliding thing works if something happens to the engine.