The Schiff Show - No Plan No Out - When Night Flying Goes Dark
See Where This Flight Went Off the Rails, and How to Ensure Your Next Night Flight Doesn’t Become an Accident Report.
About this session
A night flight, a 300-foot ceiling, four miles in mist—and a young private pilot pressing on without a flight plan, clearance, or a real “out.” In this episode of THE SCHIFF SHOW, we dissect a Cessna 172’s collision with terrain and show how smart procedures, solid stick-and-rudder techniques, and today’s cockpit technology could have turned a near-tragedy into a non-event.
Key Learning Objectives
How one missing step in preflight planning turned “legal” into “lethal risk” in a matter of minutes.
The simple stick-and-rudder technique that can save your life when you lose the horizon at low altitude.
The underused cockpit tech that would have given this pilot an escape route instead of a rescue.
Acknowledgements
CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF Presenter and Instructor Brian Schiff is a captain for a major US airline and is type-rated on the Airbus A320, Boeing 727, 757, 767, DC-9 (MD-80), CL-65, LR-JET, and G-V. Schiff’s roots are deeply planted in general aviation where he has flown a wide variety of aircraft. His total flying time is over 21,000 hours. He is a Gold Seal flight instructor and FAASTeam Representative and holds several flight instructor ratings. He is recognized for his enthusiasm and ability to teach in a way that simplifies complex procedures and concepts. He has been actively instructing since earning his flight and ground instructor certificates in 1985. Schiff also has been an FAA-designated examiner. He attended San Jose State University, and earned his B.S. degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his M.S. Degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri. He regularly teaches and conducts seminars about aviation safety and techniques to student and professional pilots. CLICK HERE to learn more on Captain Schiff's Website! CHRIS BAUR, CEO Hughes Aerospace Corporation Chris Baur is the CEO of Hughes Aerospace Corporation, a globally credentialed Air Navigation Services Provider specializing in instrument flight procedure design and validation. He serves as Industry Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) and as a Board Member of Vertical Aviation International (VAI), contributing to national safety initiatives and industry policy. He is a recognized pioneer in Performance-Based Navigation, with experience supporting advanced procedure development across Performance-Based Navigation, including WAAS/SBAS (LPV), RNP AR, GBAS/GLS, and specialized operations such as COPTER procedures and emerging AAM applications With over 45 years in aviation, Chris is a dual-rated Airline Transport Pilot with thirteen type ratings across airliners, business aircraft, and rotorcraft, as well as unmanned aircraft systems. He is an FAA-certified flight instructor, dispatcher, and Instrument Flight Inspection and Procedure Evaluation Pilot, and has accumulated more than 20,000 flight hours worldwide. A retired military aviator, he served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Air Force, and is a recipient of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Medal of Valor, awarded by U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) and holds a Bachelor of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an MBA from Brown University and IE Business School, Madrid. Chris remains actively engaged in flight operations across airline, turbine, and rotorcraft platforms. SPONSORED by AVEMCO For decades, Avemco Insurance Company has been an advocate for pilot safety by promoting and sponsoring continuous pilot training and learning. One of their initiatives has been to reward pilots who actively participate to be more proficient with savings on their insurance premium through the Avemco Safety Rewards Program. Safe pilots save by earning new ratings, getting recurrent training, participating in the FAASTeam WINGS Program, and listening to safety programs like ours and other AVEMO recognized courses and training. Call 800-276-5199 for a free quote or visit online today. Don’t forget to tell them The Schiff Show sent you for an automatic 5% off! OWNED Aircraft - NON-OWNED Aircraft ABOUT THE SCHIFF SHOW The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by Captain Brian Schiff and sponsored by AVEMCO. It is offered for FAA WINGS credit. Brian will discuss a specific theme across five program segments on the second Thursday of each month. The themes will be chosen from a hit list of common accident causes. Each episode will be one hour long and focus on a particular causal accident factor and will include the following segments: Accident Review Regulatory Review Training Topic Technology Tips and Tricks Knowledge and Trivia Questions