If you don’t know Trent Palmer he’s a back country pilot and a Youtuber who posts video’s of his exploits flying his Kitfox experimental aircraft primarily throughout Nevada, Idaho and Northern California. What you may not know is that he’s been in a battle with the FAA for his right to perform landings on soft fields within 500 feet of a person vehicle or structure, safely.
So What’s The Problem?
First know that if you are landing you can of course come within 500 feet of a person, structure or vehicle otherwise we would only be able to land on abandoned airstrips with no buildings, which is ridiculous if that’s the FAA stance. The issue comes when a landing approach is abandoned and your plane comes within 500 feet of a structure, vehicle or building for one of many reasons. The landing could be out of alignment, the field can have a gigantic rock you didn’t see from higher altitude or you may just have a bad feeling about the landing that causes you to loose your concentration, which could be dangerous. Whatever the reason I think we can all agree if there’s any issues with a landing you should be able to go around or decide it’s not the right place for you to land.
Well, the FAA doesn’t think so. Trent was disciplined by the FAA for doing an inspection pass at low altitude where he could more clearly see the ground. He was picked up by security camera and was reporting soon after. This resulted in an open investigation and a suspension of Trend Palmers certificate.
Understanding and Empathy
I get that when you live by a pilot or model aircraft enthusiast as did the man who reported Trend to the FAA does, it’s not always the best of scenarios with things buzzing overhead. Hobbies aren’t always silent and often can be observed by others. You may play drums, ride a motorcycle, take singing classes in your back yard or enjoy 1 of a hundred other things that make noise and draw attention. My neighbor has a dog that barks at passerby’s and she sings a couple times a week which isn’t my favorite but I have things that probably annoy her too and that’s society for ya.
It’s also possible that it was the 10th small plane attempting to land by the home that day and it was egregiously noisy, I don’t know but a conversation should always come first. A call never should have been made to the FAA, instead a conversation should have been had with the person who lodged the complain and Trent, i’m sure he would have been happy to go somewhere else, which he did anyway, or take them for a ride to see what it’s all about.
FAA Overstep
No, the complaint never should have been made but the FAA should never enforce rules that increase risky behavior, like landing when you are not confident in a safe outcome. Next time you’re on an approach or sitting in a airliner inbounding for landing, imagine the pressure being put on the pilot to land the plane in suboptimal circumstances when a go around or abort is called for. I don’t like the precedent this sets and no pilot or passenger of a plane should. More from Trent on this topic can be found in a YouTube video he’s published.
Keep flying safe even if it leads to a suspension while putting pressure on local and federal agencies to change their stance on this topic.
