What must you ensure before accepting a handoff?

Ensuring that the target's position is verified with the transferring controller before accepting a handoff is critical for maintaining air traffic safety and efficiency. This verification confirms that the aircraft is in the correct position as communicated, which is fundamental for effective airspace management. It helps prevent scenarios such as potential traffic conflicts, misunderstandings regarding the aircraft's status, or positional errors that could compromise the safety of flight operations.

In air traffic control, clear and accurate communication between controllers is essential. By verifying the target's position, you confirm the aircraft's location and altitude, which is crucial for maintaining safe separation standards and for the seamless transition of control. Accepting a handoff without this verification could lead to significant safety risks, including mid-air collisions or loss of situational awareness among controllers.

The other options, while important for various aspects of flight operations, do not address the immediate safety and procedural requirements involved in transferring control of an aircraft.