(b) is VERY good at throwing a comment or two into a thread in a manner well calculated to stir up a vigorous discussion .. such as this one.
Quite correct.
Especially, when I see this...
right, here's the chart, now please, brief me ...
Yes, we always do a brief discussion about the approach, well before top of descent (if possible), however....I have seen it time and again, both on line checks and in the simulator (especially the former) where there is a last minute runway change, or a different STAR announced at the last minute, or, once having been assured of radar vectors, then assigned a totally different procedure altogether etc....
that it is far better to actually be slightly more adaptable with ones planning, instead of going on and on and on (endlessly)...first I will do this, then I will do that)...and in the end, the crew does
none of the original plan, changes thrown at them at the last minute, more shuffling of papers, missed ATC calles because...more
briefings infinitum....IF a professional crew cannot both look at an approach chart, see the quite obvious, select navaids without having to verbalise every step....then I would suggest that they have no business in the pointy end.
200 hour wonders in the RHS excepted, with an experienced training Captain to guide the new First Officer accordingly.
Then we have...
Why have you not set the course bars yet? Oh - forgot? Have you mis-dialled that frequency - or did you intend that? I haven't been here before, how are we joining the approach? Vectors? The full racetrack procedure? If we are flying an arc, how do you intend to do that? Use a VOR, then change frequencies for the ILS? If we have to hold for traffic or weather, where will you do that? How much holding fuel do we have? At what point in time will you want to divert? And to where? If we get a windshear warning, will you immediately go-around, or will you assess the performance first?
This all comes as rather second nature to experienced crew (and that is all we hire in the first place) so....the respective poster I expect would simply not fit into our organisation...fortunately
In short, all this verbal chatter is, in many cases, totally unnecessary...after all, it is a brief....so keep it just that way...brief.
It is not an apollo moon landing.
Oh yes, we don't call it a briefing, it is called in our outfit....crew co-ordination... an old TWA expression that has worked for me, quite successfully thank you very much, for more than thirty years.
In closing, Harry Truman said it best....'If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen'.