How to Conduct Briefings Like a Professional – Building Shared Mental Models in the Airbus A320
Welcome to the A320 Mentor Channel. Today, we dive deep into a core skill that defines a professional Airbus flight crew: How to Conduct Operational Briefings. From departure to arrival, and everything in between, briefings are not just formalities — they’re tools to build shared awareness, mitigate threats, and create a resilient flight deck team. If you want to sharpen your technique, elevate your CRM, and prepare like a leader, this episode is for you.
Let’s get into it.
Section 1: Why Briefings Matter
Operational briefings are an integral part of Threat and Error Management (TEM). Their primary goal is to identify threats specific to the mission and to agree on strategies to mitigate or manage those threats.
But there's more. Briefings also:
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Build a shared mental model between PF and PM.
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Set the monitoring framework for the Pilot Monitoring.
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Encourage out-of-the-box thinking, rather than repeating SOPs.
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Reduce startle effect and increase crew resilience.
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Strengthen confidence and team dynamics.
A good briefing isn't just procedural — it’s conversational, inclusive, and focused on the unique aspects of the day’s operation.
Section 2: What a Briefing Is — and Isn’t
Let’s clarify: a briefing is not just a list of SOP items. Those are already covered during cockpit setup.
A briefing is a complement to SOPs. It's about sharing expectations, plans, potential deviations, and areas that may challenge normal ops.
It’s also not a monologue. The best briefings are interactive, where PF and PM exchange views, pose open questions, and draw on experience.
Section 3: Tailoring the Briefing to the Day
Briefings are not one-size-fits-all. The level of detail should vary depending on:
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Crew experience
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Familiarity with the airport or approach
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Complexity of the operation
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Presence of known threats
Examples:
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A short briefing might suffice for a familiar airport with no MELs or weather concerns.
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A longer, more detailed briefing is required for:
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CAT C airports
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Unfamiliar procedures
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Significant threats or complex terrain
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Remember: a long briefing is not always a good briefing. Relevance matters more than length.
Section 4: The Building Blocks of a Great Briefing
Let’s walk through the Departure Briefing structure:
Step 1: Set the Environment
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Cockpit door closed
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Minimize distractions
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Commander should manage external interruptions
Step 2: PLAN
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Takeoff runway and SID
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Cleared altitude and MSA
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Taxi route and hotspots
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EOSID and return strategy
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Special ops or MEL/CDL considerations
Step 3: THREATS
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Discuss known threats like weather, runway condition, MELs, congested taxiways
Step 4: MITIGATIONS
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Agree on how to manage each threat
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Use Standard Calls, SOP backups, or procedural crosschecks
Step 5: MISCELLANEOUS
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Use of automation
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Dangerous goods
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Observers or jumpseaters
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Any supplementary procedures
Next, the Arrival Briefing uses a similar structure. Key elements include:
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STAR and runway
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MSA, approach minimums
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Flap setting and braking plan
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Taxi-in hotspots
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Go-around plan
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Threats and mitigations
Timing is key: begin before Top of Descent to allow for a focused and interruption-free discussion.
Section 5: Beyond the Basics – Other Types of Briefings
Other operational briefings include:
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Cruise Briefing: Especially relevant in ETOPS, terrain-intensive routes, or convective weather zones.
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Rebriefing: When there's a new threat or change in flight plan or strategy.
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Relief Crew Briefing: When changing crews in augmented operations.
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Debriefing: At the end of each flight to assess what went well and what could be improved.
Don’t skip the post-flight debrief. Even two minutes of reflection builds long-term safety habits and team improvement.
Section 6: Threat Identification – Go Beyond the Obvious
Avoid mechanical checklist-style threat lists. Instead, think freely.
Here are some practical threat categories:
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Airport: Construction, hotspots, runway length
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ATC: Language, phraseology, unexpected clearances
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Aircraft: MEL/CDL, supplementary procedures
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Environment: Wind shear, precipitation, visibility
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Crew: Fatigue, unfamiliar pairings, stress
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Terrain: Complex arrivals, mountainous areas
These are just starting points. The more personal your threat review, the more meaningful your mitigation plan will be.
Wrap-Up: The Goal of Every Briefing
The purpose of every operational briefing is to ensure that both pilots:
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Share the same mental picture
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Anticipate what’s coming
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Agree on how to manage it
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Trust each other under pressure
A good briefing builds cognitive bandwidth — space to think clearly when things go off-script.
It’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about leadership, planning, communication, and professionalism.
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Thanks for tuning in. Until next time — stay sharp, stay safe, and keep learning.
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