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The crew briefing is one of the most important rituals of a trip and a necessary event. At SkyWest, our standard operating procedures (SOP) require that we provide an crew briefing and that we used the CLEARED format.

The acronym, CLEARED, represents the basic required briefing topics and stands for:

• C – Crew. Is your crew all present with everything they need for the trip like badges, passports, coffee, etc.
• L - Loads. What are the loads going to be today? Full? Empty? Some flight attendants (FA) like to have this information and some don’t.
• E – Enroute Weather. What can you expect in the way of weather on this trip. De-icing? Bumpy? Smooth? Sunny and clear? Again, this is for the flight attendant.
• A – Altitude. How high are we going today? It gives the FA an idea of her oxygen requirements if we should start an emergency descent or something of that nature.
• R – Repairs. If something is broken on the airplane, especially in the cabin, the FA needs to know so that she can make the necessary adjustments like re-seating a person if a seat is broken.
• E – Evacuation. Every captain has different ways of how they what to handle an evacuation. By expressing your plans for evacuation, the FA can make a better determination on how to handle an evacuation if it should happen.
• D – Deviations. No time of the year is exempt from deviating. If you are going to bad weather, and a deviation is possible, it’s important to let the FA know so that she is prepared as well.

CLEARED addresses issues such as coordination, planning and potential problems. An effective captain will build on this list to address additional topics that are considered relevant. For example, ditching is worth discussing if a flight is planned over water. Security procedures may be addressed such as accessing the flight deck or how to deal with disruptive passengers. Discuss a plan of action for irregular operations, including customer service and ramp service obstacles such as what to do if the load count is wrong or when the FA notices that their supplies haven’t been completely replenished.

The crew briefing should not be limited to aircraft operations either. This is a good time to start using those managerial skills and begin team building. Setting a positive, open environment will pay off with a more comfortable, effective crew and ultimately a successful trip.

All airlines put a lot of emphasis first flights of the day and are closely monitored for on-time departures, as well as “quick turn” operations. Both are challenging, but careful planning that begins with a comprehensive briefing will enhance the success of these operations.

At the end of my briefing, I always ask the first officer if they has anything to add. Then, I ask the FAs if they have anything to add and if they have any questions. Although briefings are the captain’s responsibility, crew member input is strongly encouraged by me. It has been said that quality leadership begins with effective, open communication.

Here is a short list of some communication tips that my be helpful.

Communication Tips:

• Establish an environment for open/interactive communications
• Solicit questions and comments (i.e., feedback) from your crew
• Listen with patience and answer questions directly
• Emphasize the importance of questions, critiques, and encourage the offering of information
• Establish a team concept and keep everyone in the “loop”
• Recognize other crewmembers’ personalities and styles
• Promote communication by encouraging appropriate questioning
• Use feedback to ensure that your message is perceived as it is intended

I hope this helps you with your crew communication. As always, if you have any thoughts, I would like to hear them.

Fly Safe…

Jeffrey

Additional sites I thought you might be interested in:

• Flight Crew Blogs on Thirty Thousand Feet Aviation Directory (http://www.thirtythousandfeet.com/flightat.htm)
• Five Things Every Pilot Needs to Know
• Learn to Fly Here!

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