Final answer:
Before takeoff, the necessary briefings include NOTAMs, crew qualifications, weather, fuel, route, emergencies, alternate airport, and aircraft weight. Accurate communication and understanding of these elements are vital for flight safety, as past incidents have shown the dire consequences of errors in measurement and information relay.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before takeoff, there are several critical items that need to be briefed to ensure the safety and legality of the flight, according to regulatory requirements. The correct answer to what must be briefed before takeoff is: b) NOTAMs, crew qualifications, weather, fuel, route, emergencies, alternate airport, aircraft weight.
This includes discussing the weather to anticipate any potential hazards, checking the aircraft weight to ensure it is within the safe operating limits, confirming the amount of fuel onboard to reach the destination including any required reserves, reviewing the planned route and identifying any NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) that could affect the flight. The crew qualifications are also reviewed to confirm that all crew members have the necessary licenses and training to operate the flight. Contingency plans such as procedures for potential emergencies and selecting an alternate airport in case the original destination is not accessible should also be covered.
The importance of accuracy in these briefings is underscored by historical incidents where miscommunication or misunderstanding measurement units led to serious consequences, such as the Air Canada fuel incident in 1983, the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter in 1999, and a medical dosage error in 1993. These examples highlight the critical nature of attention to detail and thorough pre-flight checks.