For genuine effectiveness, Briefings should be interactive. Don't simple tell the other fellow (s) what you're planning to do, but also have them tell you what THEY will do.

For example: .... in the event of a critical failure prior to V1, I will say "Stop"... brake... thrust...etc. What will you do during this event?

Amounst other things, if there are any misunderstandings about procedures, SOP, etc, they will "come to light" in a much more comfortable environment that when the abnormal event is actually taking place.

I think that yes, briefings need to cover certain points and certainly all the important stuff...but....I have listened to briefings that go on and on and on and the really important stuff gets lost ,because, lets face it, as human beings we have a short attention span. When I get someone reading every single digit off of the SID plate, without really stressing the important stuff I find my mind wandering.....

I listen more when "real" language is used, and sensible stuff. Like.....if someone says "and the weather is wind 260 at 7 knots and the cloud is scattered at 2000', few at 3000' and visibility is in excess of 10 k, blah, blah, blah for 10 minutes....." I am quite bored by this point. If the person says "its a nice day, light winds, there are two long runways here, we can use either end with that wind, so any problems I am planning to come back in here for an overweight landing" I think "OK, sounds sensible, I know what you are going to do".

But of course we have to follow our own airline's SOPs....

that's why I always said that women are beautiful in all sense you are right, airbus girl I don't understand either why some pilots enjoy speaking to much and saying too little :D

toby.