Good post Air Rabbit and thoroughly readable. On another matter (although vaguely related) I used to fly with my old Commanding Officer when we both left the military and flew Fokker Friendships together on navigation aid flight calibration duties. He never gave a pre-take off briefing of any type. I asked him why. He said we both had SID plates in front of us - we could both read English and there was no point in repeating what was already in print in front of us. As far as an engine failure brief, he felt the same way. His point was that both of us were qualified on type - we knew the drills - we knew the SOP from the Ops Manual and he could not possibly brief on every conceivable emergency that could occur from TOGA to after take off checklist, please. In any case (he said), he might have to deviate from established emergency procedures and he would only decide on that when the event happened. He was indeed a man of few words - but I tell you what - he was a first class pilot.
Contrast his sentiments with that of current airline procedures where verbalising (briefing by talking) by rote of almost every facet of flying the aeroplane is SOP and ensures it's all in the CVR to keep the lawyers happy.