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 FAA pilot certificate suspended after making a low pass over a friend's potential landing strip.
- Palmer termed the action an "inspection pass," but the FAA deemed it a "buzz job" and initiated an investigation based on surveillance footage.
- The FAA's administrative charges included flying closer than 500 feet to people or structures while not in the process of landing.
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