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's FAA certificate was suspended for 60 days following a low "inspection pass" over a friend's potential landing strip in rural Nevada.
- The FAA interpreted Palmer's low pass as an illegal "buzz job," leading to an investigation and administrative charges.
- The alleged violation stemmed from flying closer than 500 feet to people or structures without the intent to land, an incident captured by surveillance camera.
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