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There’s Risk in Failing to Brief Your Passengers Before Flight

Authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the flight means you're the one responsible for the passenger safety briefing.

Being the pilot in command means you are responsible for the passenger safety briefing. [FLYING Archive]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Pilot in Command (PIC) is solely responsible for flight operation and safety, necessitating a thorough passenger briefing, especially for those unfamiliar with small aircraft.
  • A comprehensive passenger briefing should cover essential safety procedures such as seat belt use, cockpit safety (not touching controls), headset operation, sterile cockpit rules, traffic reporting, emergency egress, and airsickness prevention.
  • Effective communication in briefings is crucial to prevent risky passenger behavior and manage expectations, with pilots sometimes needing creative methods to ensure compliance and maintain safety.
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One of the first definitions a fledgling aviator learns is that of pilot in command (PIC).

The PIC is the person who:

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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