In April, popular backcountry aviator Trent Palmer revealed via a YouTube video that the FAA had suspended his certificate for 60 days after he made what he calls an “inspection pass” of a friend’s would-be landing strip in rural northern Nevada, but which the FAA saw as a buzz job. In a YouTube video that Palmer released, he explained the suspension dates back to late 2019, when he made the low pass and ultimately chose not to land at the friend’s potential landing site—it is not an airport, Palmer admitted. The low pass was captured on a surveillance cam, and, presumably, a homeowner in the sparsely populated desert area alerted the FAA, which started an investigation. After a meeting with Palmer, that inspector chose to suspend the pilot’s Private Pilot certificate for seven months, the administrative charges being, in part, that Palmer flew too close (closer than 500 feet) to people or structures or vehicles while not landing.
Trent Palmer Suspension
Key Takeaways:
- Backcountry aviator Trent Palmer had his pilot certificate suspended by the FAA for 60 days.
- The suspension was for a low "inspection pass" he made over a friend's potential landing strip in rural Nevada.
- The FAA deemed the maneuver a "buzz job," citing a violation for flying closer than 500 feet to people or structures while not landing.
- The incident was captured on surveillance video and reported to the FAA, initiating an investigation and administrative charges.
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