A crew approach brief is essential when higher sink rates are encountered on SkyWest ERJ approaches.

What should the crew’s approach brief include when higher sink rates are required? A brief, clear answer: a briefing is required. On the ERJ, when you’re asked to descend a bit more steeply than standard, the crew’s alignment matters as much as airspeed or flap settings. It’s not about a ritual; it’s about a shared mental map that keeps everyone informed, alert, and ready to adapt.

Let me explain why this isn’t just a formality. In the cockpit, routine can feel comfortable, but higher sink rates throw you into a different gear. Your airspeed, configuration, energy state, and decision points shift. A concise, well-structured brief anchors the team, reduces ambiguity, and paves a smoother path through the approach. Think of it as a quick strategic huddle right before you commit to a new trajectory.

What belongs in the approach brief? Here’s the practical checklist, kept simple but thorough.

• The objective and context

• What’s the target approach profile? Why are we accepting a higher sink rate (gusts, wind shear, terrain, field length, or runway constraints)?

• What are the potential risks we’re watching for? For example, tighter margins to VREF, longer flare recovery if energy isn’t ideal, or the possibility of stalling margins if the configuration isn’t ideal.

• Airspeed and configuration

• The expected airspeed range, target approach speed, and any deviations from standard speeds.

• Flap settings, gear position, and the use of speed brakes if applicable.

• The role of the autopilot/flight director during the descent and transition to the localizer or approach.

• Power management and vertical speed

• The planned power settings for the descent, plus how you’ll manage vertical speed indicators.

• Any anticipated changes in power to manage energy and delay or enable a stable approach.

• Configuration change points and cues

• When to transition between configurations, when to slow to approach speed, and when to clean up for landing.

• Specific cues that tell the team the aircraft is behaving as expected (or signaling a deviation).

• Roles and communication

• Who’s primary for altitude and airspeed management? Who calls out configuration changes? Who monitors the vertical speed and autopilot modes?

• The expected callouts and the timing for them. Clear, concise, and unambiguous.

• Contingencies and decision points

• The plan if the approach deviation grows too large: when to go-around, when to hold, or when to shift to alternate procedures.

• Thresholds for alerting the captain, the first officer, and any flight attendants if needed.

• Landing surface and environment

• Runway conditions, visibility, crosswinds, and gust patterns that might affect sink rate decisions.

• The plan for any adjustments if gusts arrive or intensify during the final approach.

The key through all of this is clarity. A good brief doesn’t read like a novel; it’s a compact set of decisions you can execute in a heartbeat. It should feel almost like a shared checklist you and your crewmate can rely on, even if the scene changes in the blink of an eye.

Smooth communications matter more than you might expect. When higher sink rates come into play, the cockpit can become a chorus of overlapping voices unless you establish a clean rhythm. That means brief, crisp calls—no room for fuzzy language or vague intentions. Phrases like “Eagle one ten, flaps set,” or “Airspeed stable at X, gear up correct” aren’t just words; they’re the signals that keep your crew synchronized.

Let’s talk about a few concrete dynamics that the brief should address, and why they matter.

• Energy management is king

• A steeper descent can drain energy faster than anticipated. The brief should spell out how you’ll balance airspeed with altitude, ensuring you aren’t chasing a pitch or a speed that leads you into a stall window.

• If you’ve got a gusty leg, you might say, “We’ll maintain a stable profile with minor power adjustments; we’re watching for elevator authority and stick shaker margins.” It’s practical and reassuring.

• Configuration behavior in different segments

• The approach often involves segments where small changes in configuration produce big changes in flight path. The briefing should pre-empt what you’ll do as you transition from high descent to a stabilized final segment.

• Mention any known sensitivities of the ERJ family, like how a particular flap setting interacts with airspeed and energy at lower altitudes. It helps the crew anticipate rather than react in the moment.

• Crosschecks and redundancy

• A quick reminder to crosscheck with the co-pilot’s readouts, the vertical speed indicator, and the flight director. Redundancy isn’t redundancy for its own sake; it’s a shield against misreads or distraction in a busy cockpit.

• Go-around and diversion triggers

• The brief should cover not just the plan but the exit ramps. If the approach isn’t converging with safety margins, what’s the precise cue to switch to a go-around? Having that decision point clearly stated reduces hesitation under pressure.

The human side of the brief is just as important as the technical side. When you’re in the chair and the airplane is doing something beyond the ordinary, anxiety can creep in. A well-structured brief reduces that tension. It creates a shared mental model—a simple, workable map of what’s happening and what to do next. And yes, that shared map often translates into smoother landings and happier landings, too.

A quick reminder: the brief isn’t a one-and-done moment. It’s a living part of the approach, adapting as conditions change. If the wind shifts or visibility falters, you adjust the brief in real time, not after the fact. The goal is a calm, coordinated approach where every voice knows its cue and cadence.

Real-world flavor: stories from the cockpit

• Picture a crew facing a gusty, gusty approach with a higher sink rate necessary to stay on the glide path. The captain calmly states, “We’re at approach speed, gear down, flaps …” The first officer confirms, “Localizer alive, vertical speed is down to target,” and the two of them guide the airplane with a rhythm that feels almost choreographed. It isn’t magic; it’s a well-practiced brief that translates into reliable handling.

• Or consider a scenario where the sink rate requirement comes late in the approach due to changing weather. The brief becomes a quick, focused recalibration: “New sink rate target, updated speeds, revised go-around point if needed.” The crew maintains situational awareness, and the airplane responds with the expected discipline.

Deep-difth thought: culture and training

A strong crew brief culture isn’t just about fear of mistakes; it’s about trust. You want teammates who speak up when something doesn’t feel right. The brief is the moment to exercise that habit—no matter who’s at the controls, everyone has a voice in the safety conversation. In SkyWest operations and similar networks, this shared responsibility is what sustains safe approaches, especially when the sink rate test becomes part of the flight path rather than a deviation.

Tech notes you’ll recognize

• ERJ-specific nuances: While the general principles apply across the fleet, the ERJ family responds distinctly to changes in flap selection, thrust settings, and pitch attitude as you maneuver through a steeper descent. The brief should reflect the particular airplane’s performance envelope, so everyone knows what to expect at each phase of the approach.

• Tools and aids: Use your flight deck automation as a partner, not a replacement for clear thinking. The brief should include how you’ll use the flight director and autothrottle to keep the profile steady, and when you’ll rely on manual inputs to keep energy and attitude in check.

• Human-friendly language: In the heat of the moment, precise language matters. Short calls with actionable content beat long sentences that drift into ambiguity. It’s not about speed alone; it’s about clarity under pressure.

Putting the concept into everyday cockpit practice

If you’re in the ERJ cockpit, think of the approach brief as your pre-landing tune-up. It’s where you align with your crew on what’s different, what you’ll watch, and how you’ll respond together. The goal isn’t to second-guess but to synchronize. When the descent requires a higher sink rate, the brief becomes your confidence booster—an operational handshake that signals you’re ready to handle the unusual with steady hands.

A few practical takeaways to carry into your flights

• Keep the brief compact but complete. A few well-chosen lines can cover the essentials without bogging down the start of the final approach.

• Embrace explicit roles. If one pilot makes calls, the other confirms with a quick readback. It’s a simple habit that prevents miscommunications.

• Prepare for contingencies. Your go-around decision point should be crystal clear—no last-second scramble.

• Treat the brief as a living thing. Conditions evolve; your plan should evolve with them, too.

• Respect the ERJ’s behavior. Speak to the airplane’s tendencies with specifics—what you expect, what you monitor, what you’ll adjust.

In the end, the crew’s approach brief when higher sink rates are required isn’t about adding more steps to the routine. It’s about preserving safety, precision, and calm. It’s about turning a moment of potential turbulence into a coordinated, confident procedure.

If you’re curious how this idea shows up in real-world training and daily operations, you’ll find it echoed across the skies—whether you’re navigating gusty winds, heavy air, or a runway that demands extra attention. The brief is the bridge between plan and action, and it’s the quiet force behind every safe, steady approach.

And yes, the simplest truth remains: when higher sink rates come into play, a proper approach brief is required. It’s a small thing that yields big consistency in the cockpit, every time you lift off and again when you touch down. So next time you’re lining up for a steeper descent, treat the brief as your compass—clear, direct, and always ready to adapt.