Your best P.A.

[aerobat77]

well, i do not see anything wrong with your p.a . its more important how you speak and not what you talk . when the passengers hear you are cool and relaxed they will also be.

and i,m interested if your instructor would manage a better p.a than you when an engine decided to blow some blades in the exhaust in real life and not the sim.

[Checkboard]

Originally Posted by cosmo kramer

So the only purpose of the PA is to avoid anyone panicking. The way to avoid that is to tell people what to expect.

Whilst I agree with cosmo that a major reason for the PA is to inform the passengers, and hope that that information prevents panic, there is another reason!

The Captain is the only one permitted to give legally enforceable safety instructions, so "Be seated, and obey the instructions of the cabin crew" needs to be in there somewhere as a safety instruction from the Captain.

I usually add something along the lines of "I know that this will disrupt your travel plans and apologise for that. Once we are on the ground I will be able to contact the company and give you some information about your onward travel arrangements."

This is on the theory that talking about such a mundane requirement AFTER the landing reassures the passengers that a safe landing is a given.

[Pull what]

So a better option would be to tell them just what to expect:

"Ladies and gentlemen and cabin crew, please pay attention, this is your captain. We had a problem with our left engine and we have chosen to shut it down. For safety reasons we will return to XYZ for a completely normal landing. If you smell or see a little smoke in the cabin, this is normal and comes from the engine through the aircondition and is harmless. We will be busy the next 15 mins to complete our checklists and set up for the landing, for that reason further information when we are on the ground. At this time I ask everyone to remain seated with you seat belts fastened and await the landing. Thank you."

Speak unusually slow and make a pause between each sentence. Since your adrenalin probably is a bit up it will ensure that you actually speak at a normal pace.

Followed by an intercom ping and asking the Purser if she copied that and if she has any questions and telling her and the girls to remain seated as well.

Very poor- never ever make a PA to the cabin like that until you have briefed the cabin crew first, unless you have little time before landing. The cabin crew are part of the operating team (remember Kegworth). You brief the team first and give them time to brief each other-then make your cabin PA.

[cosmo kramer]

Very poor- never ever make a PA to the cabin like that until you have briefed the cabin crew first, unless you have little time before landing. The cabin crew are part of the operating team (remember Kegworth). You brief the team first and give them time to brief each other-then make your cabin PA.

Well, I kind of foresaw someone responding like you, hence:

Some may disagree with the NITS thing, since they want to see you perform it in the simulator, but in this scenario it's BS.

I'll eleborate:

I agree with you, in the case that the cabin crew have to take a specific action. E.g. to prepare an emergency landing, or let's say a lesser emergency like a diversion in case of a medical emergency. Needless to say, then the cabin crew should be informed first and the passengers afterwards so that a co-ordinated effort can be made.

If they don't have to do anything at all and are still seated and buckled up (like in the engine failure during takeoff scenario), it has no practical value to do a special breifing for the cabin crew - on the contrary, it's a waste of time where you could have brought the plane closer to landing. However, that doesn't prevent you from asking for additional information from the cabin crew if you feel that it's necessary (unextinguishable engine fire comes to mind). Ask them to brief you what they observe instead.

Incidentally this is in complete accordance with my Flight safety manual. And I bet yours too.
It's as well in accordance with the recommendations from the Kegwoth report, that you brought up:

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...0%20G-OBME.pdf
2.1.4.2:
In addition it should be possible to provide simulator exercises in which it would be appropriate for pilots to ask cabin crew to give a briefing on events in the cabin and for the role of the cabin crew to be taken, in such excursuses, by the simulator instructor.

Unfortunately, it has some places been dumbed down to satisfying a checker with a NITS briefing. Which, when **** hits the fan in real life and you are running through the one engine inoperative checklist and ATC says "let me know when you are ready to turn base", you will never do!

Your reference to Kegworth is completely misunderstood. Obviously we are not going to have a democratic discussion with the cabin crew about which engine to shut down, before doing the memory items. Likewise, if the cabin crew is buckled in, we are not going to ask them to run down the isle to check if we shut down the right engine if we had a flame out.

[Golden Rivet]

The best PA's are always done over the VHF....

[Old Smokey]

Relax Golden Rivet, we're cancelling each other out. I do my best radio calls over the PA. (Just hate that jack-box thingy allowing me to make PAs from my headphone mike).

I'm considering making my PAs on HF so that I can bring in a wider audience

Regards,

Old Smokey

[MrHorgy]

This is a marvellous PA from the cabin crew after a hairy Go Around...

You Tube

I have flown with captains who have made abysmal PAs, to the point I wanted to wrench the mic out of their hand. After an oil leak (a pipe had worked itself loose during flight) and subsequent maintenance action on the ground, the captain made a number of PAs advising passengers what was going on as it happened. The number of times he emphasised in his PA's that the "large number of people looking into the right hand engine is purely for SAFETY REASONS" was commensurate with the number of times the senior poked her head into the cockpit to remind us the passengers were wetting themselves.

Although only a humble FO, I keep it short. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's your Captain/FO speaking, may I have a moment of your attention. Some of you may have noticed an unusual smell/noise a moment ago, and as a precaution for technical reasons we are now returning to XXX. We will be on the ground in approximately 10-15 minutes so i'd ask you to remain seated with your seatbelts securely fastened. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this may cause, but we will be departing for YYY as soon as the issue is rectified."

Working for a LoCo also presents opportunities to be humorous during PAs for non safety critical incidents - after a diversion to Birmingham due to snow: "Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please. A number of you will be aware of the weather conditions currently affecting the London area and we have just received notice from XXX that they are currently unable to accept incoming aircraft. The good news, is that Birmingham are still feeling hospitable and are looking forward to our arrival, where we will make onward travel arrangements for you. Most importantly, please rest assured, this slightly more circuitous route to London will of course be provided free of charge. We will be landing in 15 minutes."

Horgy