THE SCHIFF SHOW PODCAST

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter CHRIS BAUR, CEO of Hughes Aerospace Corporation

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. Join us to see exactly where this flight went off the rails—and how to ensure your next night launch doesn't become someone else's accident report.

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.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/19 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

The contents of this program can be used to complete a flight review.  A WINGS based flight review helps assure both student and instructor that a complete and well documented flight review in category and class of aircraft has been accomplished.

CLICK HERE to access a copy of the Theme Based TSS #19 Flight Review and Phase of WINGS Guide.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

On an early morning flight, a Cirrus SR22 departed the airport into total darkness. The pilot failed to establish and maintain a positive climb rate, resulting in a shallow descent into terrain — claiming two lives, including the pilot’s young daughter.

This episode transforms that tragedy into practical, flight-saving education. There’s something in this for all pilots — from students to seasoned veterans.

Key Learning Objectives

• Positive Climb Rate Mastery - How to guarantee and maintain a solid climb after takeoff, especially when visual references are limited
• Night Departures - Understanding the unique challenges and dangers of nighttime takeoffs
• Instrument Scan Discipline - Building a reliable cross-check to prevent spatial disorientation
• Go/No-Go Decision Making - Recognizing when conditions should keep you on the ground
• Human Factors and Traps - Expectation bias, subtle altitude loss, and loss of situational awareness, pressures of completing a mission (real or perceived)
• This episode promises to be an engaging look into avoiding the traps of routine flight planning. No flight is routine, each differs in its’ demand for planning and safe execution.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/18 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

The contents of this program can be used to complete a flight review.  A WINGS based flight review helps assure both student and instructor that a complete and well documented flight review in category and class of aircraft has been accomplished.

CLICK HERE to access a copy of the Theme Based TSS #18 Flight Review and Phase of WINGS Guide.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

This episode takes you inside a landing sequence where one bad decision, made a little too late, turns a routine arrival into a fatal accident.

In this edition of The Schiff Show exposes the warning signs pilots miss when pressure, momentum, and bad timing push them past the point of recovery. You’ll see how unstable approaches, delayed go-arounds, and flawed judgment can trap even experienced crews — and why the safest landing decision is often the one made before things get out of control.

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This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/17 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

The contents of this program can be used to complete a flight review.  A WINGS based flight review helps assure both student and instructor that a complete and well documented flight review in category and class of aircraft has been accomplished.

CLICK HERE to access a copy of the Theme Based TSS #17 Flight Review and Phase of WINGS Guide.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

Step into the cockpit for a fast-paced, eye-opening hour that could potentially change the way you fly into non-towered airports forever. 

In this edition of THE SCHIFF SHOW, we’ll analyze the notorious Quincy intersecting runway collision—not to dwell on tragedy, but to identify clear, practical habits you can apply on your very next flight. Through compelling storytelling, simple visuals, and interactive scenarios, you’ll see exactly how experienced, professional crews operating in VMC at a quiet Midwestern airport ended up in the worst-case scenario—and how you can avoid creating a similar situation. 

We will structure the session around three key pillars:

• PROCEDURES - Clear CTAF calls, intersection runway SOPs, and go-around / rejected takeoff decision points that turn “I thought…” into “We’re protected.”
• TECHNIQUES - Heads-out scan strategies, pattern and conflict geometry, and communication habits that reveal hidden risks before they cause problems.
• TECHNOLOGY - Smart use (and honest acknowledgment of limitations) of dual radios, traffic displays, EFBs, and airport diagrams to enhance, not diminish, your situational awareness.

You’ll work through “freeze-frame” scenarios from the Quincy event, vote in live polls, and help create a short “Quincy Prevention Checklist” right during the session. Every attendee will leave with ready-to-use handouts: a CTAF phraseology card, a one-minute passenger briefing script, and a concise checklist you can brief and debrief on your very next non-towered operation.

If you fly into non-towered airports—whether you’re a weekend VFR pilot or a professional in turbine equipment—this webinar will give you clear, practical tools to keep intersecting runway operations routine, predictable, and safe.

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This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/16 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

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The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by 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
• Procedures
• Techniques
• Technology Tips and Tricks
• Game Time - WIN PRIZES!

Registration is not required. Go to TheSchiffShow.tv at 7:00 PM Central Time on the second Thursday of the month and join the show. All episodes are archived on TheSchiffShow.tv and available to watch (for WINGS credit) anytime after the original air time. (NOTE: you must be watching live to participate in the game show portion.)

The Schiff Show promises to be an hour well spent, which will fly by while you have fun and learn to be a safer pilot.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter MARK TOMICICH

We’ll start with a familiar scenario: a VFR cross-country after refueling that turns into an engine problem and an emergency approach in low ceilings and mist. Using the accident sequence—from the first vibration and oil-pressure anomaly through the last-ditch approach to Flagler County—we’ll focus on recognizing engine trouble early, choosing a landing option when options are limited, and avoiding a stall while “stretching” the glide near the ground. 

VFR content will cover preflight and maintenance red flags, fuel and configuration decisions, realistic personal weather minimums, and procedures to follow if you lose power near marginal VFR or rising terrain. 

IFR content will focus on clear, unambiguous communication with ATC, assessing whether vectors and approach geometry keep the runway within glide range, and controlling airspeed and altitude from cloud break to touchdown. Throughout, we’ll turn the investigation’s findings on oil-starvation engine failure, weak maintenance documentation, and pilot–controller miscommunication into practical checklists, briefing habits, and training scenarios any pilot can use on their very next flight.

What you’ll learn: 

• What to say to ATC - Clearly declare the emergency and the actual situation (e.g., “lost all power”) so ATC understands the severity and vectors you with runway and glide range in mind.
• What needs to be prioritized - Treat oil-pressure anomalies, visible leaks, and recent engine work as high-consequence risk factors and be willing to divert early rather than “press on.”
• How to safely reach an emergency landing site - In IMC or marginal VFR, think glide range first: question any vectoring or approach geometry that moves you away from your best landing option when power is in doubt.
• How to maintain aircraft control - Protect airspeed and angle of attack all the way to the ground; resist the urge to “stretch the glide,” especially when breaking out low with obstacles ahead.
• How to make maintenance-related decisions -Handle maintenance and modifications professionally: ensure proper documentation, understand what was done, and verify airworthiness before launching on demanding flights.
• How to create a conservative safety margin -As a VFR pilot, respect how quickly a “simple” trip can turn into an IFR-quality emergency, and set personal weather and fuel/alternate minimums that provide margins when something fails.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/15 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter GREG REVERDIAU

An upgraded Cessna 421C, advanced weather tools, a professional pilot, and plenty of warnings—yet N4467D still penetrated a severe storm, lost control, and came apart in the Gulf of Mexico with five fatalities. In this episode, THE SCHIFF SHOW welcomes Greg Reverdiau, aviation educator, human factors specialist, and co-founder of Pilot Institute, one of the largest online training platforms for manned and unmanned pilots. Together, we will replay the flight, the ATC exchanges, the convective SIGMET environment, and the weather technology picture that set this crew up for disaster.

Using the same teaching style and tools Greg’s team applies in Pilot Institute’s online ground schools and accident case studies, we will slow the event down and visually compare what the pilot likely saw on XM weather versus what was really happening on radar and satellite imagery. We will examine attenuation, radar shadowing, distance limits, and radar tilt management in a single pilot IFR workload, along with the 10 to 15 minute latency “gotcha” that can turn a seemingly safe gap into the core of a mature thunderstorm.

By the end of this presentation, you’ll be able to: 

• Recognize the specific limitations of onboard radar and XM / satellite weather—and why “seeing red” is not the whole story in convective environments.
• Apply practical techniques for using strategic (XM) versus tactical (airborne radar) tools, so you do not “thread the needle” through a moving line of storms.
• Identify human factor traps highlighted in this accident, including expectation bias from airline PIREPs, pressure to continue, and over-trust in what ATC “is painting” on their scopes.
• Decide earlier and more confidently when to divert, hold, or turn back—even when technology, ATC, and other pilots seem to be telling you it’s fine to continue.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/14 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter Lt. Col. TAMMY BARLETTE

A thought-provoking episode of THE SCHIFF SHOW that dissects how a successful, highly educated attorney bought “too much airplane,” skipped ahead in training, and paid the ultimate price. We’ll discuss how intelligence, confidence, and a big checkbook can combine into a deadly form of overconfidence when pilots outfly their experience and underestimate the learning curve of complex, high-performance aircraft.

In this presentation, Brian Schiff and Tammy Barlette break down the accident from both the aeronautical and mental perspectives, highlighting the human factors, cognitive traps, and decision-making errors that led a competent professional to make fatally dumb choices in the cockpit. Pilots will learn practical strategies to recognize when ego is driving the airplane, safely manage the “step up” to more capable machines, and build a mental game that is at least as strong as their bank account and logbook.

Pilots will walk away with practical techniques to: 

• Recognize when ego is PIC and the brain is just along for the ride.
• Plan a sane, structured transition to higher-performance aircraft.
• Build a **mental** game that keeps them from becoming the cautionary tale other pilots learn from at the next safety seminar

Our special guest is Tammy Barlette. Tammy brings deep knowledge of mental performance training to the discussion.

Many in-flight performance issues are actually cognitive margin problems rather than competence problems. As demands stack—new aircraft or avionics, IMC, approach changes, emotional pressure—mental bandwidth gets saturated, which can lead to stress-induced errors or even spatial disorientation. Training teaches procedures, but mental performance determines whether pilots can think clearly and access those skills under stress. Topics like early recognition of overload, emotional regulation, reframing emergency declarations as workload-management tools, and understanding how passengers increase cognitive load would help viewers see that the goal in overload is stability first, not speed or progress.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a tragic event and enhance your operational safety and piloting expertise.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/13 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

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The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by 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

Registration is not required. Go to

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter JOHN NIEHAUS

During this episode of THE SCHIFF SHOW, your monthly destination for in-depth aviation safety discussions and expert insights, we will dive into a detailed case study of a Learjet crash and its contribution to a catastrophic accident.

Our special guest is John Niehaus, a veteran flight instructor and aviation safety expert with extensive experience in commercial, business, and general aviation as well as flight training development. John brings deep knowledge of pilot skills, standard operating procedures, and operational best practices to the discussion.

Through a detailed case study, we’ll explore the accident’s causes, the investigative findings, and the lessons learned for pilots and operators. If you want to deepen your understanding of stabilized approaches and aviation safety procedures, this session will provide knowledge, real-world context, and advice to help you sharpen your skills and improve safety outcomes. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a tragic event and enhance your operational safety and piloting expertise.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/12 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

* * * * * * * * *

The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by 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

Registration is not required. Go to TheSchiffShow.tv at 7:00 PM Central Time on the second Thursday of the month and join the show. All episodes are archived on TheSchiffShow.tv and available to watch (for WINGS credit) anytime after the original air time.  (NOTE: you must be watching live to participate in the game show portion.)

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO. Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199. Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter NED PARKS

During this episode of THE SCHIFF SHOW, your monthly destination for in-depth aviation safety discussions and expert insights, we will dive into a rare but critical topic: wake turbulence, and in particular, helicopter wake turbulence, and its contribution to a catastrophic accident.

Our special guest is Ned Parks, a leading authority on helicopter wake turbulence, who will share his expertise on how these invisible forces can affect aircraft operations, especially at airports. Through a detailed case study, we’ll explore the accident’s causes, the investigative findings, and the lessons learned for pilots and operators.

Whether you fly airplanes or helicopters, work in air traffic control, or want to deepen your understanding of this invisible monster, this session will provide knowledge, real-world context, and advice to help you operate near helicopters and large aircraft. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s foremost experts and enhance your ability to avoid the “invisible beast” called wake turbulence.

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/11 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

* * * * * * * * *

The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by 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

Registration is not required. Go to TheSchiffShow.tv at 7:00 PM Central Time on the second Thursday of the month and join the show. All episodes are archived on TheSchiffShow.tv and available to watch (for WINGS credit) anytime after the original air time.  (NOTE: you must be watching live to participate in the game show portion.)

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.

Hosted by renowned pilot and aviation expert CAPTAIN BRIAN SCHIFF

With special guest presenter JEFF SIMON

On this episode of THE SCHIFF SHOW, Brian welcomes Jeff Simon from SocialFlight (www.SocialFlight.com) for an engaging discussion about a real-world accident where a mechanic’s mistake created a hidden hazard that the pilot failed to detect during preflight inspection, followed by a failure to follow emergency procedures, and how that combination led do tragic results.

They’ll explore how small errors in rigging, installation, or maintenance oversight can cascade into major in-flight emergencies, and the critical role pilots play as the final safety checkpoint. 

Through accident analysis, and a review of procedures, techniques and technology, we’ll highlight some warning signs often overlooked by pilots, common maintenance pitfalls, and best practices for preflight discipline that can help you catch errors before takeoff. 

Designed for pilots, mechanics, and instructors, this episode will help you to strengthen pilot-mechanic communication and sharpen your eye for details that will prevent equipment-related accidents.

Training goals:

• Identify common types of maintenance errors that can lead to hidden in-flight hazards, using real accident case studies as examples
• Strengthen preflight inspection skills to better detect subtle signs of mechanical mistakes or overlooked maintenance issues before flight
• Understand the importance of effective pilot-mechanic communication and specific questions pilots should ask after maintenance is performed
• Apply best practices for verifying airworthiness and implementing safety habits (SOPs) that prevent maintenance-related accidents
• The importance of following established procedures to serve as a safety barrier

This podcast is the audio part of the original live video broadcast available at https://www.theschiffshow.tv/10 If you wish, please visit that website to view the archived version of the live event - including audience comments and polling.

This podcast qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.  After listening, go HERE to test your knowledge and earn immediate FAA WINGS credit upon successful completion of the quiz.  You must be registered on the FAA Safety Team website to access this quiz and credits.  If you have not yet registered, you may do so HERE.

* * * * * * * * *

The Schiff Show is a monthly aviation education variety show hosted by 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

Registration is not required. Go to TheSchiffShow.tv at 7:00 PM Central Time on the second Thursday of the month and join the show. All episodes are archived on TheSchiffShow.tv and available to watch (for WINGS credit) anytime after the original air time. (NOTE: you must be watching live to participate in the game show portion.)

The Schiff Show promises to be an hour well spent, which will fly by while you have fun and learn to be a safer pilot.

THE SCHIFF SHOW is proudly sponsored by AVEMCO.  Learn more about Avemco Insurance Company HERE or give them a call 800-276-5199.  Tell them THE SCHIFF SHOW sent you and earn a 5% discount on your aircraft insurance.