About this episode

Trent Palmer shares his journey as a bush pilot and content creator, discussing his challenges with the FAA and personal experiences in aviation.

He's the most-requested guest in Pilot to Pilot history — and the wait was worth it. Trent Palmer, recreational bush pilot and one of aviation's most recognized YouTube creators, finally sits down with Justin for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the highs and lows of a life built around flying and filmmaking. Trent opens up about his journey from RC helicopters and drone cinematography in Hollywood to becoming a full-time content creator — including how FAA regulations ironically pushed him into getting his pilot's license in the first place. But this episode goes far deeper than flying cool places and making beautiful videos. Trent shares the gut-wrenching details of his engine failure in the Nevada backcountry, what it actually feels like when the prop stops and you have 45 seconds to find a field, and why the flight home may have been scarier than the emergency itself. He talks candidly about watching a close friend crash — and somehow survive — and how each close call reshapes your relationship with risk. Then there's the FAA battle that nearly broke him. Trent walks through both investigations, the $50,000 in legal fees, the four-year court fight that went all the way to…

People in this episode

Host: Justin Siems

Guest: Trent Palmer

Topics covered

• aviation
• content creation
• FAA regulations
• personal stories
• risk management
• emergency situations

Keywords

• Trent Palmer
• FAA
• aviation
• engine failure
• content creator
• risk
• court fight
• bush pilot

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FAA

Places: Nevada

More episodes of Pilot to Pilot

• E357: Evan Davis - How Flying Saved My Life · April 23, 2026 · 1h 27m
• E356: From SWAT to Corporate Jet Pilot - How Josh Changed Careers and Built a Life in Aviation · April 14, 2026 · 1h 13m
• E355: From 9/11 to Special Ops: Flying Secret Missions · March 3, 2026 · 1h 9m
• Flying the San Diego Coastline at 15 Knots | Chancy Arnold · February 11, 2026 · 43 min
• E352: From Oshkosh to Lakeland: Gene Conrad on Running Sun 'n Fun's $7M Aviation Spectacular · February 3, 2026 · 58 min
• E351: Type Rated at 800 Hours: Building a Corporate Aviation Career Early | Ariel Johnson · January 27, 2026 · 56 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Pilot to Pilot podcast page.