Ep. 354: Trent Palmer | FAA Called On Me Twice, Lost My License, and Almost Quit Flying

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 the Ninth Circuit, the license suspension he wishes he'd just accepted, and the personal toll of having your character questioned publicly.

This one is honest, emotional, and packed with lessons — whether you're a pilot, a content creator, or just someone who loves a great story.

What you'll hear:

1. From drones on Hollywood sets to bush pilot YouTuber
2. Engine failure over remote Nevada — the full story
3. Watching a friend crash and survive a "unsurvivable" impact
4. Two FAA investigations, $50K in legal fees, and hard lessons learned
5. How YouTube became his full-time career (and why he almost walked away)
6. Advice for pilots who want to start creating content
7. What's next: floats, new adventures, and maybe finally starting that podcast

What is Pilot to Pilot?

Pilot to Pilot Podcast is your go-to destination for aviation inspiration, insight, and real talk from the cockpit and beyond. Pilot to Pilot aims to support all pilots who fly from students to professionals and recreational flyers. The show includes genuine discussions with pilots who work in all aviation sectors including airline captains and bush pilots to share their experiences of flying. Join our worldwide pilot community through subscription to track your flying aspirations with other aviation enthusiasts.

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Check it out@allworth
airline.com Justin I'm Trent Palmer.

I'm a recreational bush pilot
and content creator on YouTube and

Instagram.

AV Nation.

What is going on?

And welcome back to the Pilot
the Pilot Podcast.

My name is Justin Seams and I
am your host.

I do apologize if I sound a
little under the weather.

We are overcoming a cold in
our house and it has kicked everyone's

butt in our house right now.

But we're overcoming it.

We're making it work.

This episode is an awesome one.

It has been highly requested.

It is with Trent Palm Palmer.

He is one of my favorite youtubers.

Just the visuals that he's
able to create, the stories able

to tell, and the type of
flying he's able to do is unbelievable.

It's something that I've never
been able to do, have the access

to.

So to be able to live that out
through him and all of his friends

is pretty fun to see.

Trent We've been trying to get
Trent on for a long time.

We talk about in the episode,
and we finally get it to work, and

it is as good as I imagined it
would be.

So, Trent, thank you so much
for spending an hour and a half plus

with me and sharing kind of
your ups and downs of aviation.

Why you got an aviation?

We talk about his FA battle,
legal battles, and getting the FA

called on the second time.

So we talk about everything.

It was a great episode and I
think we have room for more.

So, Trent, you want to come
back on?

We'll do it, man.

And also start your podcast.

That'd be sick.

We have a magazine, as you
know, and if you haven't checked

it out, go to pilot, the
pilot.com mag and get yours today.

It's the highest quality
magazine I think you'll ever touch

and feel.

The first edition, the first
volume, it feels like a coffee table

book.

That's the.

The viewpoint that we've gotten.

That's the reviews that we gotten.

Reviews have been coming in.

Every single one is five stars.

So thank you much to everyone
that subscribed to the quarterly

magazine.

Volume two is in the wraps.

We are working on it now.

It should be done soon, and
we're hoping for an end of March,

beginning of April release to
get it out before sun and fun.

Same nation.

I want to take any more of
your time.

So any further ado, here's
Trent Palmer.

Trent, what's going on, dude?

Welcome to the Pilot to Pilot podcast.

Awesome.

Yeah.

Glad to be here, man.

Thanks for having me.

Yeah.

I mean, I will say you're
probably the number one requested

person that I have been.

Constantly been getting
badgered on.

Like, guys, we'll get it eventually.

One day we'll make it work.

All right.

That's funny.

Yeah.

I know that we've been trying
to connect for a while, I think.

Right.

I know I've gotten messages
from you and I. I've just been always

out and about, so I kind of
blew it on getting back to you.

So sorry for being a moving
target there.

It's all good, man.

I think I pressured you
through Carson from wherewithy.

I think I was like, carson,
dude, I need your help.

Carson, help me.

Carson's like, I got you.

Yeah, that.

I was like, oh, man, I felt
like a jerk just for how long I'd

been delaying on this.

It's all good, man.

I. I pester.

I like to pester a little bit.

You know, I like to.

Sometimes you have to.

You have to.

You sometimes.

And here we are, we are
recording you.

You Started the podcast by
saying you're a recreational pilot,

a recreational bush pilot.

Is that just because.

Do you not like to call
yourself just a bush pilot or a pilot

in general?

Do you always add the
recreational part at the beginning?

So the bush pilot term is kind
of controversial with some guys mostly

just keyboard pilots.

Seems like if you say you're a
bush pilot, they assume you're working

in the Alaskan bush commercially.

So I just try to, you know,
differentiate that.

And it's funny too, because
there's so many different realms

of the kind of stole or
backcountry or off airport or, like,

where does each thing fit?

And it's like, to me, since
I'm landing in places that are completely

unimproved and no strip there,
I'm like, that's off airport or bush

flying.

Right.

Whereas backcountry, there
might be backcountry strips.

And I don't just do that most
of my flying.

There are no strips.

So, yeah, I don't know.

I feel like bush pilot, bush
flying kind of makes the most sense,

but it's definitely something
that I've had to add the recreational

just to be like, hey, guys,
I'm not, like, I'm not one of those

guys.

They're on a different level.

I'm just doing it for fun.

Yeah.

Have you always wanted to be a
pilot, or is this just kind of something

that kind of came to.

I knew a lot of people kind of
know your background of getting into

drones and then kind of
getting into airplanes, but was this

a childhood dream at all?

Did you ever look up, be like,
oh, I'd love to fly that airplane

one day?

So, yes, I was always into
aircraft and.

And loved the idea of flight,
but I was just deathly terrified

of it.

So as a kid, I had, like,
reoccurring dreams of dying in a

plane crash, a commercial
plane, um, and a lot of those falling,

you know, dreams too.

So I was just terrified of
heights and.

And all of that.

Um, so the way I kind of
scratched that itch was through RC

aircraft.

So, yeah, that was my dog
decided to join me.

Good, dude.

Pets are welcome.

Love it.

So I was always ground based.

Just got to experience flight
that way.

And then because of the.

The drone stuff and the
regulations back in 2012-2014, the

FAA required that I got a
pilot's license.

So that's what pushed me into
actually flying.

I mean, good thing it did.

I mean, where would you think
you'd be today if it wasn't for the

regulations changing?

Would it just be strictly drones.

Would you be like a drone
influencer, still be making videos

or what would be.

What would Trent be?

I have zero idea.

And honestly, I don't think
I'd be an influencer.

I don't even think of myself
as an influencer now.

That's not really who I am or
what I'm about.

I just like making videos and
that's what got me into the film

world.

And in the start, I used to
make ski films back in high school

and college, and that's what
got me hired as a editor for my first

real production job.

And then while I was working
as an editor, I started doing the

RC helicopter, which
transitioned to drone.

But at the, at the core, I'm always.

I love making videos.

I love telling stories as, you
know, higher, low end as they are.

It's kind of one of my passions.

So, yeah, YouTube's been a
great outlet for me to share my passion

for aviation.

Kind of scratch that creative itch.

But as far as the, the like,
influence side of things and, and

like being recognized, that's.

That's never been a driving
force for me.

Yeah, it's.

I mean, I. Luckily I've always
hid behind audio only, right?

Like, I didn't do video for
the longest time, and people wouldn't

necessarily know my face, but
I talked.

They'd say something like,
wait, you do a podcast?

I'm like, it's not me, I promise.

But was it hard?

Or when did you first realize,
like, hey, people are like recognizing

me.

They know who I am.

Was that weird at first or is
it still weird?

Yes and yes.

2018, Oshkosh was the first
year that I was like, actively doing

YouTube.

And I think I had like 50,000
subscribers going to Oshkosh.

And then by the time I got
home, I had a hundred thousand.

So it was like, yeah, that was
when things were snowballing.

And yeah, was interesting
because just being recognized and

when people come up to say hi
a lot of times, like, well, that

parasocial relationship, they
know me.

I just don't know them.

But then there's also the
chance that maybe I have met them

because when they say, hey,
what's up, Trent?

I'm like, hey.

And I'm just trying to process
my head.

I'm like, I do not want to be
the jerk that forgo this guy.

But I've.

I don't know if I've met him.

So, yeah, it's a, it's an
interesting one.

Luckily, it's not something
that like, I.

It doesn't happen on any other days.

It's.

It's only at, you know, air
shows primarily.

So, yeah, for 99 of the year,
I'm just a regular dude that no one

recognizes.

So I like that when you came

on, like, I remember.

I feel like I remember
watching your first video.

I don't remember what it is,
but you could tell it was like a

different time.

But before people are making
videos, it was.

I mean, they still look good
because it's airplanes.

But, like, your quality
definitely helped you stick out.

Your quality of the video and
what you're actually doing help you

stick out.

Did you have a plan at all
for, like, making your videos or

did you truly just make
something like, I think this looks

cool.

Let's make this?

Yeah, it really, like, early.

Early on in my channel, I
wasn't vlogging.

I was just making little,
like, what would be kind of like

an action sports edit of flying.

And, you know, people in the
kit fox world were watching them

but no one else.

And I realized after actually,
there's a creator Tucker got.

He flies paramotors.

I don't know if you know who
he is.

Yeah, very important.

Yeah.

I saw one of his videos, and
it was the first YouTube video that

was longer than, like a how to
video that I actually sat through

and watched, like at 10 or 15 minutes.

And at the end I'm like, whoa,
what just happened?

And.

And I realized it was the
interaction and engagement of him

being a character in it that
kept me there.

He was doing cool stuff, but
the cool stuff without context or

a character was nothing.

So when I started doing the
vlog thing, which was like, right

at the end of 2017, I think it
was a pretty uncomfortable shift

for me because I've always
been that guy behind the camera,

never in front of it, and I
don't particularly like my voice

or myself on camera or any of
that same.

So, yeah, it was.

It was a pretty big shift.

But I realized, you know, I. I
guess I thought it was a good exercise

in putting myself in an
uncomfortable position and see if

I can build comfort there.

I also knew that, like, you
know, there.

There was a void in high
quality or higher quality aviation

content at the time.

And so I kind of felt a duty
to put some more out and show people

how much fun the flying I was
doing is.

So those were kind of the motivators.

But as far as the quality
side, I still, you know, I come from

the film world.

None of the stuff I put out on
YouTube would be like, Quality.

I would like to show any of my
clients I'm pretty like embarrassed

of that because I'm just
shooting on toy cameras.

I'm not, you know, not
bringing out cinema gear.

I'm not spending, you know,
all that much time in posts, like

doctoring shots and doing
everything like we would on a commercial

piece.

So.

So when you go sell yourself,
you're like, I know you might have

watched my stuff.

I promise you it's better than that.

Yeah.

And luckily, you know, the,
the drone thing was around way before

the YouTube thing.

So my clients over there, they
knew what they were getting.

And at first it was funny.

I was very embarrassed for
people to find out I had a YouTube

channel.

It's like, oh, he's a YouTuber.

And over time, it actually
turned into an asset where there

was a couple shoots where they
were like, hey, would you want to

do a YouTube video of this shoot?

I'm like, yeah, that'd be kind
of cool.

So it's been funny how that
transitioned and, and shifted this

tool and this,

what was just fun eventually
either made you money or gave you

the ability to expand what
you're doing and kind of two birds

with one stone, right.

You get to go do your drone
thing and make money and then also

get a video which could be
adsense, it could be anything else

or just a creative outlet.

Yeah.

And honestly, it's interesting story.

I don't know if you followed
any of what I was doing as far as

where I live, my property I
bought, or my wife and I bought in

2016, thought we would build
on it in like six months.

That was just, you know, young
and dumb kind of mentality.

It took us three and a half
years to even get started.

So 2019, I owner built my house.

So I was out here 10 to 12
hours a day, every day.

And during that, anytime a
film shoot would come up, if it wasn't

like a bigger multi day shoot,
I'd just say, I'm busy.

And so during that, a lot of
my clients I guess that I worked

for in the, in the film
industry, probably found new vendors.

And then right after we
finished the house, Covid hit and

the film industry shut down.

Yeah.

And so here I am with a house
that went way over budget.

I've got the highest payments
I've ever had in my life and I don't

have really a job because the
film industry shut down.

So that was kind of the
turning point where I said, okay,

I gotta figure out a way to
monetize this YouTube thing in a

sustainable way.

And prior to that I'd been
getting a lot of emails about, you

know, companies that wanted to
sponsor videos and I just always

felt kind of grimy with the
idea of doing that.

But you know, desperate times,
I had to change my opinion on that.

So started saying yes to
sponsors and pretty quickly I was

able to offset most of my
income using YouTube instead of just

the film industry.

And then so over the past, I
mean, what was that?

2020.

So we'll call it six years, five.

Six years I have shifted to
primarily now YouTube being my, my

job still

that's only off sponsors primarily.

I mean you kind of, you have
to diversify and do as much as you

can in each space.

But like AdSense, which I'm
sure you're aware of, just doesn't

pay out enough to even keep
the lights on.

So the, the biggest thing is
is sponsors of individual videos.

And then that's interesting.

You know, we do like merch
drops I've been doing with Carson.

I have my own line of lower
end merchandise that you know, does

a little bit.

And so it's kind of all over
the place.

But yeah, it's kind of.

Most of what I'm doing now is
a byproduct of the YouTube as far

as work.

Nice.

And would you say is that, I
mean when you started this, obviously

you had no idea where it was
going to go, turn into this and eventually

be your job.

But now that you're at this
point and you're looking back and,

and this is kind of your full
job, is that kind of okay with you?

Do you wish you're still doing
the drones more?

Like if you could go back,
would you have found a way to, to

keep the drone company up and
running to what you had it or are

you perfectly fine with
everything's going?

You know, that's a good question.

The industry that I started
out in, well, it was basically non

existent.

In 2009, 2010, there was just
a handful of guys that had RC helicopters

with a camera on it that were
shooting low range aerials, at least

in the film industry.

So when we got into there, I
think I had pilot skills that were

above average.

And then I also had an
understanding of how film worked

and I understand set etiquette
and I'd been working in the film

industry.

So we had a leg up early on
and there was a run from like, you

know, really late 2010 through
2012 that we were like the guys in

Hollywood.

And shortly after that was
when a lot of these multi rotors

started coming out.

Like DJI had their first, I
think it was S800.

It was like an integrated six
motor multicopter with a gimbal that

was stabilized.

And all the stuff that we
spent all our time and energy and

money developing was now worth
way less.

And then the skills that we
had to have to fly, you know, a single

rotor RC helicopter is fully manual.

They're not, you know, they're not.

There's no bailouts, there's
no auto level, there's no return

to home, no gps, none of that.

So every time a new piece of
technology would come out, basically

the barrier to entry would
lower and the market would get flooded

with new people.

And it was like a race to the
bottom, price wise.

So if it was the industry I
started in, yeah, I kind of wish

I was still doing it.

But that said, with the
availability of drones, the ease

of using that technology, you
know, all the skills I spent years

developing kind of slowly
became devalued because the equipment

takes over so much of that.

So no, I don't regret, you
know, kind of making the shift out

of it.

The bigger thing is like,
what's next?

I don't know what the lifespan
of a YouTube channel is.

I mean, heck, I didn't.

Honestly, going back to the
start of this, I never expected to

make anything off YouTube.

I think I thought at best
maybe it's a good networking tool.

Like it could connect me with
brands that I could work with in

the future.

I thought from a filmmaking
standpoint, like producing commercial

content for them.

Yeah.

But I remember the first
AdSense check I got, it was a hundred

bucks and I was out at.

I made it.

Yeah, I was out at dinner with
some friends and I like showed them.

I'm like, dude, I just got
paid a hundred dollars from YouTube.

And they're like, what?

And I'm like, yeah, dude,
drinks on me.

Like, this is insane, let's go.

And just like it kind of
opened my eye to there probably is

a way to make a living off this.

But then going back to what
I'm saying, I was saying is I don't

know how long a content
creator, you know, as a career lives.

I'm also not someone that
really produces content that I think

will get the most views.

I produce the content I enjoy
making because I kind of, I've, you

know, I've tipped that seesaw
in the other direction and really

tried to do some stuff that I
thought was more clicky and all that.

And it just like felt like I
was, eroding.

Myself.

So a while back I decided
like, that'll never be a driving

force for me.

You know, getting views is great.

It obviously helps add value
to how I make my living.

But yeah, I don't create
content based on that.

So with that in mind, I don't
know how long a creator like me can

hold on, you know, without the
adapt or die kind of thing.

I'm like, well, we'll see.

Well, it's interesting too, right?

So like, when you're talking
about how long does a creator last,

it's like, well, yeah, so you
were dominant and doing great on

YouTube.

And then people start getting
to YouTube shorts or Instagram reels

or tick tock and it's like,
all right, how do I pivot myself

from making 1520 minute videos
to now a 60 second video?

How do I retain that audience?

How do I get a new, new audience?

Like, how do continue to, to
make and improve so I can be where

I am today and get these ad
views, Right?

Totally.

And the short form stuff, I
mean I, I definitely scroll through

it, I see it and I see the,
the brain rot side of it that can

totally just pull you in and
keep you there.

My brain doesn't work that way
with creating content.

I, I kind of feel like my
rhythm is the longer form stuff.

So the short form stuff hasn't
been easy for me to kind of make

a transition to.

And also the monetization path
isn't as clear and it feels worse

to me.

So.

So if with the YouTube video,
most of the ways that I'm making

revenue is through
integrations, which is a paid shout

out at some point in the video
where you talk about the, you know,

kind of stop your video and
talk about something.

To me, one minute out of a 10
to 20 to 30 minute, you know, long

video is not that invasive.

But when you get to short form
and it's like, man, how am I going

to integrate product when I
only have a 60 second timeline?

And at that point it's like
they're dedicated, you know, sponsored

posts that just feel less
authentic, if you know what I mean.

Yeah, no, for sure.

And then your audience picks
up on that too, right?

They're like, oh, Trent sold out.

Trent sold out.

He's doing this now.

Yeah, time to find someone else.

Yeah, it's a weird dynamic, man.

And you know, I see the
necessity in short form stuff and

I've learned to enjoy making
some of it.

Still not really chasing views
more just thinking like, what, what

do I think is the kind of Content.

I like watching what can teach
people something or inspire them

to get out and go flying.

Like that kind of stuff.

Definitely not just the just,
you know, clickable, shareable, ridiculous

stuff that.

Yeah, others make.

Yeah.

Not naming anyone, but others.

Yes.

Let's go back to the pivot moment.

Was there a moment at all,
like, where you just thought, like,

there's no way I could replace
my income on YouTube.

I need to get a different job,
I need to get in a different industry,

or, I mean, you had your license.

Now it's like, do I keep
getting my ratings and go fly for

the airlines?

Or was there.

What was your thought process
in that moment?

Because it's scary to go full
time into YouTube because like you

said, there's so many.

How long will people watch me for?

How many times?

Like, how can I keep
replicating the success?

Yeah, no, that's a good question.

I. I was very fortunate that I
had already had a working YouTube

channel.

Right.

It was at that point probably
getting more views than I do regularly

today.

So the value was there.

And I was, like, I said,
getting a lot of emails from basically

their creator, influencer
agencies that connect creators with

brands, and I basically
ignored all those emails.

So when that happened, I was
like, man, I gotta start replying.

So I didn't reply to, like,
emails five years ago.

Yeah.

And so I basically, I. I made
that shift so quickly that I didn't

spend much time pondering what else.

You know, it was kind of like,
I can do this right now.

Yeah.

And supplement some income.

And I'm like, if I just say
yes to enough of these, then I'm.

I can make my bills.

So I just got to do that.

And so as far as flying
commercial, as a idea or thought,

it's never really been
something that I. I've had any interest

in doing.

And it's funny, the.

The guy I bought my Kit Fox
from, David Twyford, he had told

me that he.

He's a private pilot, had like
10,000 hours.

And he was just like, I've
watched all my friends, you know,

shift to airline flying and
they lost their love for flying.

So, like, his piece of advice
was like, unless you have to, don't

do it.

Keep it passionate.

And I was like, okay.

And, you know, from a. I guess
financial standpoint might not be

the best advice because
there's definitely a pathway to make

a good sustainable, like,
living off of airline flying.

But.

But, yeah, so that's.

No, that, that has never been
in the.

In the cards for me.

So, yeah, I Think the.

I mean, I fly professionally
and I think I have myself gone through

times where it's like, I'm
flying too much.

I don't want to fly anymore.

I'd never touch a general
aviation airplane.

And then now, currently it's
like, oh, I would love to buy an

airplane to go fly.

Like, this would be awesome.

Let's go into it.

But you fly with so many
people that just, they think GA is

just unsafe.

They think that it's not worth it.

And, and I also go through
those mindsets whenever I, whenever

I swear, whenever I get close
to buying an airplane or wanting

to buy an airplane, something
in the news happens, someone I know,

like, it's an accident.

Just like, what am I doing?

Why would I do this?

Why would I put my family at situation?

But I think it's true.

I think in this industry it's
very easy to look not down on a general

aviation, but look kind of
stray away from it and be like, oh,

I did that before.

It's not safe.

I'm not gonna do it anymore.

Yeah.

And I mean, the, the
statistics will prove that it is

much less safe than commercial aviation.

So, yeah, it's.

It's a thing that I've also
kind of had to battle with throughout

this whole, like, I guess,
aviation career of my.

If you could call it that.

Whatever my.

I think we call that.

Yeah, yeah.

Is that I, you know,
inherently, and since I was little,

was scared of flying and
scared of heights, and that stuff's

not fully gone.

It's something I still battle with.

And then anytime I, I lose a
friend, which unfortunately has happened

more times than I like to
admit, or anytime that I have even

a remotely close call, I just
kind of step back and I'm like, is

this worth it?

But at the same time, it's
kind of like everyone's going to

have a different risk
assessment and they're going to see

different values in other things.

And to me, what I get out of
flying is worth the risk.

I understand that there's a
chance that, you know, well, it's

one of the more.

How do you put it?

It's.

It's not the riskiest thing I do.

It's just the consequences are
about as high as, as anything out

there.

So when things go bad, they go
real bad.

Especially what you're doing
when you're flying low to the ground,

you're.

You're laying on places people
don't land on normally, not necessarily

that it's more unsafe, but
there's just more risk to It.

Right, yeah.

And it has the optic of that
for sure.

It's interesting though, like
when I.

There's been times where I'm
like, man, if I could have a second

plane that I could use to get
places, what would it be?

And the more I go down the
rabbit hole of different aircraft,

not that I can afford one, but
I find that I get worried about the

idea of a higher wing loading
or higher energy aircraft in the

event of some sort of engine issue.

And I've had an engine quit on
my plane, it happens quick and yeah,

man, it, it'll rattle anyone.

As prepared as you are when
you have a single engine plane that

quits on you out of nowhere.

I mean, it'll get you going.

So.

So I, I see a lot of value in
the safety of a low energy airplane

that lands at slower speeds
and has equipment for landing in

rough areas.

It just opens up a lot more
options should something go bad.

I mean, crap, my plane stalls
at low 30s.

So if you wedge between two
trees in the 30s, you're probably

going to be okay.

So even over, you know,
heavily forested areas and an engine

failure, I feel like I have a
much better chance of surviving in

my plane than I would, you
know, a faster moving plane.

Yeah, you're not wrong.

I mean, you need way less room
for, to stop your plane and land.

Anything can essentially be a
landing strip for you where you get

into big airplanes.

You know, you definitely need
more room to stop.

Especially flying a 737.

Now.

I used to fly smaller private jets.

I too have had an engine
failure and it was in a 206 and oh

man, it needs more room than
your airplane.

But I'm very thankful that
thing was as rugged as it was and

it could stop where it stopped.

And we put it.

We're in Appalachia and West
Virginia, kind of in the rolling

hills area is like mountain e
but rolling hills.

And that thing was a tank and
stopped us and saved our life.

We were perfectly fine.

But there's something to that.

There is absolutely something
to that.

Um, yeah, you did bring this
up and I've talked a little bit about

my engine failure, but talk
about what it's like to be in that

moment, what it's like when
the engine actually quits, the startle

effect.

Just like, what the heck?

Like this is not happening
right now.

Was all that real?

Did all that happen?

Oh, yeah.

And mine.

So I was.

It was a gloomy day, which
didn't help.

And it was pretty windy and so
I was flying from Boise To Reno,

which is one of the more
remote stretches on the west side

of the United.

Like, United States.

There's no services, there's
no coverage, anything.

I had my radio turned off
because there was no one to talk

to.

And I used to have a radio hum
on that.

That.

That avionics setup, but I was
just basically crossing a ridgeline.

I was listening to music
through my headsets and heard a little

buzzing noise.

And I was like, is that the music?

And I reached down and pulled
the throttle back just a little bit

to change rpm, and that's when
the prop.

I mean, it stopped so
violently, there wasn't even a thought

in my head to, like, restart that.

I'm like, something failed that.

So, yeah, but definitely,
like, immediately you're kind of

like, whoa, that's not.

This isn't happening.

Like, this isn't real.

What.

You know, this is actually,
you know.

So you have like a three
second of like, oh, man.

Like, okay.

Yeah.

And so pretty quickly, I
pushed the nose down.

I'm like, all right, pick
somewhere to land.

I found one, liked it, and
then kind of second guessed it and

was like, oh, maybe I go to
this other one.

And then I remember being
like, no, I. I've heard of this.

Do not change your mind.

Stick with the first one.

And then I was kind of like, what?

You know, what.

What do I do for a checklist?

I'm like, I'll turn off the fuel.

I want the avionics on because
I need to be able to operate my electric

trim.

Going through my stuff.

And then I. I took a second,
and I was like, man, is it.

This is what it feels like
before you wreck an airplane.

And then I remember thinking
to myself, is this what it feels

like before you die?

And in that moment, I kind of
got, like, sort of lightheaded.

Like, I.

It felt like I might faint for
a second.

And I remember like.

Like flexing my.

My core and trying to push as
much blood to my head, just being

like, no, you cannot faint,
you die.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I was like, you know, fly
now, be scared later kind of mentality.

And, yeah, I used all the
tricks on that one because I slipped

extremely hard.

I landed downhill with a
tailwind, and the plane didn't want

to, like, land.

It was.

I mean, I was gonna blow past
my landing site and go down into

a ravine.

So the slip got me down, and I
got down to ground level, and it

was just like the terrain was
matching my glide.

So I had to physically, like,
as I was getting rid of flaps Push

the plane onto the ground and
drove it downhill in this, like,

kind of tail high wheelie rollout.

As hard as I could be on the
brakes, you know, with the tail that

high.

But it was like if I hadn't,
you know, spent so much time screwing

around with that plane,
shutting the engine off and landing

uphill downhill, you know,
with tailwinds, sometimes you have

to in the backcountry.

It's not like you can always
turn into the wind.

Right.

So all of those little skills
that I developed through screwing

around in my airplane really
paid off that day.

Absolutely.

Did you ever think, was there
ever a moment, like you mentioned,

if I faint, I die.

But was there ever a moment
where you're like, I'm, I'm gonna

die?

No, it was just really that
thought of, you know, is this what

it feels like before you die?

And it was just like, you
know, that's what got in my head.

Made me feel kind of, kind of
like fainty.

But I never thought I was
gonna die.

And again, it happened.

So I would say from the time
that engine quit till I was on the

ground was like 45 seconds
maybe at the.

It felt like an eternity.

But I wasn't all that high.

I would say sub 500ft crossing
a ridgeline.

Um, and obviously the train
was descending, so I went down.

You know, I glided farther
than 500ft vertically.

But yeah, it was a, it was a
funny one.

I learned a lot that day, and
I gained a whole new respect to having

reliable engines.

And I always cared about reliability.

I guess my understanding and
reasoning for thinking an aircraft

or engine was reliable was
just skewed because, you know, I

had done a lot of
modifications to that engine.

And in hindsight, you're like,
of course it blew up.

Like, you took an 80 horse
engine up to 120 horse using parts

from all these different engines.

It's like, yeah.

And they're not designed at
that, that, you know, horsepower.

So I've learned the value of a
factory built, you know, reliable

engine that's maintained
perfectly, which is how I try to

run all my stuff now.

Yeah.

You're like, oh, there's a
reason why there's regulations on

the other side and not the experiment.

Like, there's a reason why
they do this and they rate it at

this.

Yeah.

And it was just funny because
I just had this false sense of security

that I'm like, no, I mean,
it's all the parts in that are great

and they were, but just the
combo of everything and the un undesigned

load on that engine and the
components is what led it to fail.

So just, you know, one thing
that was about my engine failure

that I was surprised about is
like the chaos that's on the ground

too.

Like, yeah, you're glad you're alive.

It's like, all right, now you
got to call someone.

You had no cell service.

Probably like figuring out how
to survive after being in losing

your engine and landing it.

And we both landed remote
places, but it took five hours for

EMS to find out where we were
to get anyone to a police officer

there for any of that.

Kind of probably similar for you.

Some mountain man.

He literally, like, when I say
mountain man, like, I mean as mountain

man as you can imagine.

Whatever comes to your head,
yes, that's the answer.

He drove by.

I thought y' all were gonna die.

I thought, there's gonna be a
big flame.

Can't believe you're alive.

He brought us to his house and
I was like, I'm not going to your

house, sir.

I'm sorry.

I will die if I go to that house.

Yeah, yeah, but what talk
about landing on the ground.

What did you do?

Did you have like a sat phone?

Did you have any way to communicate?

Talk about that part.

Yeah, and this, this part was funny.

I knew I was way out there.

I knew that there was a road
to the south of me, like a highway

within 10 miles or so.

So worst case, I was like, I'm
gonna hike or walk 10 miles.

So I grabbed my water bottle.

I had a spot locator, you
know, one of the SOS things.

And, and on that I didn't have
the one you could type out on.

I just had like, you hit SOS
they're sending, you know, everyone.

Um, there was another one that
said, like, it was like the helping

hands send help.

And I think my program message
was non life threatening emergencies

come up, please send help.

So I pushed that button.

Um, and it also said to
coordinate through my wife, Haley.

And I hadn't really discussed
with her, like, hey, this, you know,

I'll push this for this reason
and you know, blah, blah.

And so, so when she got it,
her assumption was Trent hasn't died

yet, but he is, and she could
track my location.

So she saw that I was moving.

But basically I set out on
what I thought was going to be a

very long hike.

And I would say a half mile
from where I landed was like the

top of the plateau.

And I looked down and there's
a little reservoir just surrounded

with campers, like RVs.

And stuff.

And so it was like right there.

So I walked maybe a mile and I
found someone that had cell service.

He was on Verizon.

I was on AT&T.

And I was able to call and,
and get help coming at least.

But it was funny.

Like, you know, I walked maybe
a mile and then I hung out with this

guy for a while, and then I
ended up running into another friend

of mine that just happened to
be out there fishing this random

reservoir.

He's like, yeah, yeah.

He's like, come fishing, man.

And so, like, I hung out and
went fishing waiting for John, the

owner of Kit Fox brought a
trailer out and came in and helped

me get that out of there.

But there was definitely a
moment that I was like, you know,

this could be.

It was early in the morning,
so the survival side I wasn't too

worried about.

I just thought it was gonna be
quite a.

A pain as far as a long walk
and then probably a long hitchhike

into somewhere comfortable.

And you know, all things said,
we had the plane loaded on a trailer

like five hours after the.

The engine out, and I had a
new engine hanging on it the next

day and flew it home the
following day.

Oh, so you felt comfortable enough.

Like, you were like, this is
when I.

Like, it's because I did this.

Or were you just like, that's
not gonna happen again?

No, I mean, I was terrified.

I just knew if I didn't get
back in the plane, I probably never

would, like, get back on the
horse thing.

And the funny thing was this
other engine, a friend of mine, well,

hal Stockman, had one, a stock
100 horse Rotax sitting on a plane

that was getting built a
couple hangars over from Kit Fox.

So he said, just go grab that engine.

I don't know when it was ran last.

And we put it on.

It seemed to run good.

And on the first takeoff as I
started, like, positive rate of climbing,

and mind you, I'm at this
small private strip that does not

have options around it.

And the engine tried to quit
on me on takeoff, and I think I had

that happen twice.

And then just took the
carburetors off that engine and grabbed

the ones from my old engine
and put it on there and it fixed

it.

So it was a.

It was a carburetor issue.

But yeah, if you want to know
how to get your blood pumping again,

is the, the, the flight after
an engine quit it, have it quit again

or try to.

Yeah, I think that'd be enough
for me back.

Yeah, I don't think I know
this is what I'm.

How I'm gonna make my money.

But it's not for me.

There's other ways.

This is.

Well, before I was making
money, this was.

Oh geez.

This was just fun.

Yeah.

And yeah, the flight home too.

I followed roads like within
gliding distance the entire way.

I took a three and a half hour
flight and made it like a five and

a half hour flight.

But do what you gotta do.

Yeah.

What was the phone call like
to your wife?

Hey, her name's Haley, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, I called and she was just
bawling and I could tell she was.

So I was like, hey, I'm fine.

Like I'm sorry I scared you.

And she was like, I thought
you were dead.

The thing said non life
threatening, but I get it.

And she was just really worked up.

So yeah, it was an emotional
phone call.

But then, you know, once she
realized I was okay, yeah, it was

a lot better.

And then.

So since then I've had to hit
the sos.

My friend Nick crashed when I
was there and I did use the SOS function.

And basically immediately
after it happened, because we had

other people on the ground, I
was like, you guys go stabilize Nick.

I'm gonna go and make contact
with emergency crews and get someone

coming.

So I hit the sos.

I jumped in my plane.

Where we were at, there's no
service on the ground, but you'd

get a couple hundred feet up
and you could get cell service.

So took off, called the
sheriff department because I knew

that's who would be sending a
heli or at least could help dispatch

something out there, and.

And all that.

But then immediately called
Haley and just said, hey, you're

gonna get a message from Spot.

And it was not me.

You know, Nick's in bad shape,
but he's alive.

So I called to let her know
prior to her getting that message.

So that helped a little bit.

What was it like going through that?

Not being the one that got in
the accident, like being the friend

to watch that happen.

Was it almost.

I mean, sounds dumb asking if
it was harder but like, was it more

difficult for like emotion
wise or getting back in the airplane

later or is it about the same?

Yeah, well, I've never been in
an accident, so I don't know how

it compares to actually being
the one.

But like it was not a fun
experience, man.

And when he hit the ground, I
like he was dead.

I there.

There was no way that was survivable.

I've seen enough videos.

Like he didn't have Any
horizontal movement, like, it was

a crater.

And from like 100ft up, like,
you just.

You don't survive that.

Yeah.

So his dad was there.

His dad made the most gut
wrenching scream I've ever heard.

And I'm like, you know, and I
had my spot locator, but I didn't

push the SOS right away
because I'm like, why?

You know, if I was like, for a
dead body, you don't do that.

And so I took a second and
regrouped and said, trent, you need

to be ready to be there for
Nick's dad.

And got my stuff and started
walking over.

When they ran over, I was
like, why are you running?

You know, see a dead body first.

But then I hear Nick kind of
moaning and he's awake.

And then I'm like, oh, crap.

Then it was like, jump into action.

And it was like, I didn't know
if, you know, he was gonna die from

injuries because, I mean,
dude, again, that was like a.

A gnarly crash.

And his limbs, like every limb
was broken.

He was very crunched up in the cockpit.

How he was so alert, I have no idea.

But yeah, that was a.

That was a tough one.

That one definitely rattled me
pretty good.

I think the only thing that
made me me not like, quit flying

over.

It was for one, I would have
thought for sure that was fatal.

So if that's survivable, all I
gotta do is not do anything worse

than that.

I'm like, that's.

That's doable, like, you know,
Cause that kind of impact is insane.

Um, and also it was very preventable.

So just kind of managing air
speed, especially that load of ground,

doing more aggressive of a
base to final turn, like, all of

that stuff I can easily
account for.

Yeah.

So when it's preventable stuff
and he survived in a way that I didn't

think he would kind of, you
know, helped at least me justify

why I'd keep flying.

But I definitely took a big
step back.

Every time something happens,
it's like a big step back.

Yeah.

And knock on wood.

I've been fortunate to have
not had too many lately.

I had one close call with a
near midair just recently, but, man,

the FAA stuff, though, that.

That's probably what took the wind.

Like, I almost quit flying
because of that.

That would probably be the.

The thing that got me the most.

So that's what I was going to
come up to next.

I had one more question about
all this, and then we're gonna go

into that.

But you mentioned how you were
able to kind of talk yourself into,

like, all right, this is why
this happened.

That's why this happened.

But your wife was probably
like, yeah, I don't really care.

Just don't do it anymore.

Right?

Like, was it harder to talk
her into it?

Or you're just like, look,
this is what I love to do.

And she's like, that's what
you love to do.

You're gonna do it.

I think it's the later.

I. I.

You know, Haley's a pretty
supportive one.

It's.

It's incredible that even if
things scare her, if she knows that

I love it, she supports it.

So I think it was one of
those, like, hey, I've.

I've known the risk this whole time.

I feel pretty confident that
I'm able to mitigate most of the

risk.

And I'm learning every time
something happens, and, you know,

as long as I continue to get
better and be aware, then I think

it can be done safely.

So, yeah, it's good.

Shout out to Haley.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, it's important to have
a good partner, whether it's a husband

or a wife.

If you're an airline pilot or
just a pilot in general, just because

it takes a different breed.

Like, your person that you
love is risking their life and your

kind of future by going up in airplanes.

Right.

Like, I mean, it definitely
takes someone that can really put

up with a lot to put up with this.

This industry in this career.

Yeah, definitely.

Yeah.

And then, as you're talking
about the faa, too, you also have

to worry about people watching
you that just might not.

I mean, maybe they're jealous.

Maybe they don't like you.

Maybe you made them mad you
didn't remember their name at Oshkosh.

Right.

Like it finally came back to
bite you in the butt.

But, yeah.

What talk about that.

And, like, you mentioned that
it almost made you want to quit.

Is it still worth it?

I mean, obviously still worth
it because you're doing it, but is

it still worth it?

Yeah, dude.

And.

And I don't know how familiar
you are with that whole story, but

it was weird.

The first interaction I had
with the FAA was with an FAA inspector

who has since retired.

But he had it out for any.

Pretty much any young person,
but especially if you had big tires

on your airplane.

He was just convinced that
we're just out violating regulations

and trying to kill others in
the process.

So the first thing he ever
contacted me on was a photo that

was sent in of me water skiing
my plane on Tahoe.

Which was funny because I had,
I had actually talked to multiple

inspectors asking for clarity
on the, like, the interpretation

of how that is affected by the regulations.

Like where does this fall?

You know, skimming tires on water.

It's like there's nothing
defined in the regs that say that

it's not illegal or you know,
whatever it was his opinion, it was.

He gave me a letter of warning
which put me on probation for two

years.

Now this next event, a friend
of mine that lived, he actually moved

after this, but just about a
mile north of me.

He had a little, I don't know,
it's like a field that he'd fly RC

airplanes out of.

And his son was begging me to
come land my plane there.

And I'd kind of looked at it
from up high a few times.

But the day that this, this
whole fiasco started, I, I made one

low approach at it.

It just to kind of get an idea
of, you know, how feasible it was.

Really didn't like it.

I knew that like on short
final, so accelerated and climbed

out.

Well, the neighbor of my
friend had an issue with him flying

his RC airplanes and he was
convinced that my friend was dive

bombing him with drones.

So he'd called the, the police
on him multiple times.

But he had a security camera
mounted on his garage facing up.

So he was like ready prepared
to catch someone doing something.

And I was that guy.

And so he got a hold of the
right inspector, the one that had

it out for me at the Reno Fizdo.

And it was just like green
lights for that guy.

And so it was funny because I
didn't go public with any of that

for, I mean, the first like
three years.

Oh really?

Just, yeah, I was just kind of
quiet about it.

And that whole time it's like
you have this looming case, there's

a ton of lawyer fees involved.

Like, none of it's fun, but
this feeling that you're like genuinely

a bad person and that you're,
you know, violating regulations and

all that, like, it sucks.

It's just like.

And then also like the
freedoms I thought I had in aviation

clearly weren't there.

If this is illegal, because
the way I interpret the regulations,

it is.

So there was definitely a
point where it was like I felt overly

burdened by regulations.

I felt like they were, you
know, out to get us.

It just, it sucked.

It put me in a weird mental
space with flying.

So I was still motivated to go out.

And you know, I like making videos.

I love going on camping trips
and adventures.

But just going out to fly.

Like, I kind of lost that for
a bit with all that.

As owner operators, we care
about how an aircraft is built, not

just how it looks on the ramp.

And that's where Textron
Aviation stands apart from the Cessna

182, known for its stability,
load carrying capability and everyday

reliability.

To one of my favorite
airplanes and a plane that I have

over a thousand hours in and
would trust with my life is the Caravan.

Trusted around the world for
its rugged design and proven systems.

These are aircraft engineered
to work and built to last.

Its craftsmanship you feel in
the controls and pride you carry

every time you fly.

Because pride of ownership is
confidence in your aircraft.

Every system, every flight.

Explore [e-mail]
that's txt.com when that inspector

got that phone call from the,
the neighbor, he's probably like,

we got him.

He was probably so excited.

100%.

Yeah.

Yeah.

When they first sat me down,
it was crazy.

They, like, there was a short
phone call.

Did you fly that day?

Yes, I did.

Okay, do you mind coming in to
talk to us about it?

And I was like, sure.

You know, I'm, I'm a very
agreeable guy.

I know the compliance
philosophy is supposed to reward

that within the faa.

So I went in and they had like
their whole like conference room

filled and they had people
like recording and all this and like,

like three or four inspectors
in there.

And they showed me the video
and I was like, whoa, that looked

way worse than what I remember doing.

Like, and so then he's like,
here's what's going to happen.

You're losing your license,
you're blah, blah, blah.

And it was like, like all this
stuff just as aggressively as you

can.

I got scolded.

Like, I was like a high school
son that just got caught sneaking

out or stealing for his first time.

Like, the way that they talked
to me was like, oh my God.

Like they, they were like yelling.

And all I said was, well, I
mean, I don't know if it's of any

value, but I was invited to
land there and I was looking at that

landing site and then he kind
of took a step back.

But at that point he, I think
he was already off to the races.

And then it was crazy.

Whatever.

The, the FAA attorney that got
given this case, when we had a informal

conference, my lawyer
explained, like, well, he was inspecting

a landing site just like you
guys say to do in the off airport

ops guide didn't like it and
he elected to carry on just like

it says to do.

And all she could come up with
was, well, I don't understand why

that landing was necessary.

And then my lawyer was kind of
like, there's no requirement for

a necessity for a landing.

Like, if anything we're
taught, you know, you can go around

at any time, the only
necessary landing is a true emergency.

Right.

So he was a little bit like, I
don't know what.

And she's like, I think we're
gonna have to go to a hearing.

So our assessment after that
was a lot of these attorneys for

the FAA are pretty new and
they don't get a lot of hearing time.

And so a lot of times they
just like going through the motions

even if they, they don't have
a case.

And that was our assumption.

But then with my luck, the
alj, the administrative law judge,

that's with the ntsb, which is
who checks the faa, they're one in

the same, but they're
technically separate agencies.

It was his first hearing, and
from what I've heard since then,

that he's been pretty level headed.

But, but the only assumption
we have is that on his first hearing

he was, he was too scared to
rule against the FAA right out the

gate.

And whether that's true or
not, who knows?

I feel like we had a very
strong case.

I had some incredibly strong
appeals with support from, you know,

aopa, eaa, the Alaskan
Airmen's Association.

I had, you know, congressmen
appealing on my behalf and all of

it with, with really good merit.

And they didn't even seem to
spend any time looking at it.

That's even, that's once we
were outside of the ALJ or the ntsb.

That was in the ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals in, in Washington.

So dang.

So he was for the faa.

That ruling means you lose
your user ratings.

Right?

You can't fly anymore.

Correct.

Except for you can appeal
beyond them.

And that's when you go to the,
the appeals court.

And we went there and again, I
think, you know, and maybe this is

just me trying to like,
justify why things like happen, but

part of one of our appeals was
that it, it's, it's illegal for an

agency that checks another
agency to defer to the initial agency's

decision.

So in the ruling the ALJ did
on my case, he said that he was unsure

on exactly how to, you know,
punish this or whatever, so he was

going to defer to the faa.

So that deference to the FAA
is not what his job is.

His job is to oversee and, and
make the decision above them.

There was a thing called The
Chevron doctrine that was in the

Supreme Court that was about
to go through, that dealt with government

deference, and it basically
said, that's not legal, and if that

would have gone through, my
case would have gotten thrown out.

Out.

And they pushed my case
through like two days before that.

So the kind of assumption we
have is just like, that was horrible

timing and they just wanted it
off their desk before things changed.

So they just didn't spend any
time deferring on it and just said,

no, we'll just rule with the government.

So, yeah, so I lost my license
for four months.

It was a pain.

In hindsight, I wish I would
have just accepted the suspension

in the first place and just,
Just, you know, taken it and carried

on.

But instead I fought for four
years and spent ungodly amounts of

money on it and still lost my
license and got public.

And, man, that, that was a.

That was definitely not a
great thing for my public image.

It wasn't a fun thing to go through.

So in hindsight, I definitely
wish I would have just accepted it

in the, in the start.

But what would have happened
if you would accepted it?

What would have been like, the actual.

What would have gone down?

Just lose your ratings, get
him back later or.

Yeah, and it's, it's.

It's just a suspension.

So you send your certificate
in for the prescribed period, they

send it right back at the end,
and you have full privileges again.

And at one point, I think they
even dropped the suspension to like

two months and I didn't accept it.

You're like, no, this is, this
is a whole different thing.

Yeah, but I want to be that person.

Right, but you, you had to,
you had to fight this.

I feel like.

Yeah, and.

And a good portion of it is
because when rulings come out like

this, that's what's used in
the future to judge.

Yeah, it is, exactly.

So in case law, so it was like
such a ridiculous precedent that

I felt like I had to fight for this.

Like, no, they can't just say,
because you didn't land, that wasn't

necessary for landing.

You know what I mean?

Because then every go around
that comes within 500ft of a vehicle,

vessel, person, or structure
is now illegal.

Yeah.

So that was part of why we
fought it was the precedent.

That was probably the
strongest part of why we fought it.

But, man.

Yeah, since I lost, it's like,
for what?

But, you know, it is funny
too, though, looking back, I'm.

I'm glad things went the way
they did.

The transition.

I was able to make into a new
airplane was forced because of the,

the need to.

For a project basically, while
I couldn't fly.

So, yeah, with the Kit Fox, I
loved that airplane and I had a lot

of fun with it, but I kind of,
you know, I did everything I could

with it it.

And I feel like I told every
story I could with it.

I was ready for something new,
you know, something just to reignite

my, my passion for aviation, a
new project.

So I probably never would have
made that move if it wasn't for the

suspension.

So in a weird way, I'm
grateful for that.

Yeah, that's a good way to
look at that.

I mean.

Yeah, you never, you got to
pivot, right?

You've pivoted twice now.

Yeah, you got to pivot.

Exactly.

Or the friends moment.

Pivot.

Yeah.

Yep.

You mentioned that you, you
think that it hurt your image.

Do you still feel like when
people hear kind of your name or

your YouTube, like they just
assume that you did something wrong

based on all that, or do you
think that's kind of cleared and

it's gone now?

There's a certain demographic
or group of people that definitely

still believe that.

And it's interesting.

I, I see, you know, comments
and random things online where I

get brought up and people will
be like, oh, that Trent guy, he's,

he's a dick.

Or he, you know, and all these
things about me.

I'm like, have you ever met me?

And if so, I would like to
know when and how I acted that way.

Because I don't think that you have.

I think you're, you're drawing
conclusions based off something you

saw online and it's probably
not true.

And like, again, so much of,
of what you see with any person's

social media is, is, it's
edited, it's through, you know, rose

colored glasses and.

Right.

And what I try to go for is,
you know, high energy entertainment,

flying.

I'm not making super
educational content.

So I think there's an
assumption by a lot of people that

I don't care about safety,
that I don't brief, I don't pre flight,

I don't do all this stuff.

But it's like, just because I
don't show it doesn't mean I don't

do it.

So I think that lends to the,
the side where people think I'm reckless

in ways is just because they
don't see what they don't see.

And then the other judgments
of me having not met me, I'm just

like, man, I don't Know, but
again, I. I've been doing this long

enough that I've learned that
you're gonna have haters if you are

doing something right.

And you can't make waves
without rocking some boats.

So if that's part of it, I. I
don't like it.

Obviously, the negativity bias.

I'm sure you're aware of that.

It's like one negative
comments worth 20 good ones.

It's an interesting thing to
kind of, you know, balance and manage

when it's.

Especially for someone like me.

That's like.

That's not why I'm doing this, man.

Yeah, I don't want.

I don't want to be an influencer.

I just like making content and
flying an airplane.

Right.

Was it hard for you to kind of.

Because, I mean, before that,
you know, I mean, everyone.

I'm not saying.

I mean, I don't.

I assume, like, everyone's
like, oh, Trent's so cool.

Like, this is awesome.

Was it hard to see a shift
like that because you're like, that's

not me.

That's not who I am.

This is.

I'm like, this isn't me at all.

Was that kind of mentally
draining on you?

Was that, like, to a point
where you're like, screw this.

I don't need this anymore?

Yeah, that was definitely.

I mean, during some of the FAA
stuff, when it got really public

and when the video got
released out there, which I don't

know if you've seen it, but
like I said, it looks bad, man.

It looks way worse than.

Than what I remember doing.

We've never seen the.

The raw footage, though.

It was all off an iPhone and
someone, like, up close to a monitor

filming something.

But, yeah, it definitely.

That's when there was a lot of
negative stuff, you know, spinning

around out there about me,
which, again, prior to that, I. I'd

had had a fair share of that
with people just making the assessment

that I was, you know, reckless
or, you know, like a. I don't know,

in over my head, flying in
ways that you shouldn't, doing dangerous

stuff, like, all of that.

So I. I'd had criticism
before, but that was definitely on

another level.

Yeah, it's.

It's super interesting.

I mean, putting yourself out
there, making these videos, like,

essentially, eventually you do
become a target.

Whether it's people are
jealous of what you do, whether they

want to do what you're doing,
doing, or just people are bored.

Right.

And they think it's fun.

They think it's fun to.

To essentially ruin someone's life.

Right.

And put them through a bunch
of crap and people will come back

and say it's like, well,
you're putting yourself out there.

You're making the videos, right?

You are creating yourself as a target.

It's not fair to you, but it
does happen.

Like, I wanted to get back to the.

To one point about the fight
for your license.

In this fight, did you feel
like you were fairly represented?

You feel like, you know how
AOPA is always like, you know, we're

here to help you.

Ea.

Did you feel like all
resources were like, we're gonna

help this, we're gonna make
this happen?

Or was there anything
surprised you about support at all

that you got?

Like, I don't want you to talk
bad about companies or.

Yeah, but, like, did you feel
like you supported well in that fight?

I feel like the intent was there.

I. I do feel like they wanted
to help.

I don't know how much help I
really got.

I was part of the AOPA's Pilot
Protection Services, and that did

save some money.

I just recently found out it
wasn't quite as much as I originally

thought it was, but it still
probably saved, you know, upwards

of $10,000 in.

In lawyers fees.

So it was worth the hundred
dollars a year to have that, that

coverage.

And, and just from the base
level, having access to legal counsel,

if you need to call and talk
to someone with the.

The AOPA's Pilot Protection
Services, I think is of value.

But also my case was, you
know, very unusual that it went as

far as it did and it just used
way more resources than most do.

And that's what got it to be
so expensive.

And I think the.

A lot of those organizations
were dealing with a balance of trying

to make sure that they helped
out but not giving me too much preferential

treatment.

So I do feel like they wanted
to do more than they were able to

do, if that makes sense, so.

No, it does make sense.

Yeah, it's.

It sucks, dude.

No one wants to see anyone go
through that.

And you talk about the expense.

Like, I'm sure people, like,
understand it's expensive.

When you say, like, it saved
me 10 grand, like, I mean, that means

there was multiple.

Multiple other 10 grand figures.

Yeah, I mean, I think I was in the.

The realm of about 50 grand.

Yeah.

And my lawyer was really good
to me.

He cut some serious deals, so
it should have been a lot more than

that.

That.

But, man, you got to figure I
bought my Kit Fox for 39 grand, so

I spent more in lawyers fees
trying to fight that little thing

than I did on my first
airplane, and it just like.

And I still lost.

So it was like, not laughing
because just like, I'm laughing in

pain with you.

Just like, yeah, it was not.

Yeah.

And man.

Yeah.

Like I said, Hindsight 2020.

I would have just taken the
suspension and.

And carried on, but here we are.

So do you think, like, you
have a fair, clean slate with FA

now, or in the back of your
mind, are you always thinking, like,

some.

Like, they're gonna come after
me again?

I think I'm clean with them.

I. I do think the vast
majority of the FAA guys are just

by the book and they just want
to do their job right.

The guy that was coming after
me, that had, you know, a bit more

of a vendetta and.

And ego and attitude portion,
they've seemed to have done a good

job, at least in my local
office, of getting rid of that.

I will say I always feel like
I have a bit of a target on my back.

Like, you know, I don't know
if you saw.

Just recently.

Yeah, I debriefed my near
miss, and someone called me into

the faa, and it was funny
because I called them that.

That our FAA office, prior to
producing that video and just said,

hey, like, is there anything I
need to do?

Like, there was a near miss.

Can we.

You know, we had briefed, we
debriefed, you know, no harm was

caused, but it was.

It was close.

Do I need to report it?

And they're like, no, you did
everything right.

I mentioned that I was going
to make a video, and I'm like, I'm

sorry if someone, you know,
reports me for it.

It was.

That's.

So the first call I got from
them, they were kind of laughing

about it.

They were like, we knew it,
but it just sucks.

It sucks that people feel they
got to be that way.

You know, that again, the.

The assumption that everything
you see on screen is the full truth,

which is never the case.

So if they thought they were
ahead of everything and thinking

of what the creator didn't.

In my case, I was very well
aware of both opening myself up to

criticism for the mistakes I
made, but also that.

That people were going to call
me into the faa.

So I knew I was signing up for
that, but I decided that the learning

moment outweighed, you know,
the nuisances I might have from it.

So I decided to post it.

But then it's still.

You got people that just got a call.

So, I mean, I. I don't want
the FAA to know who I am.

I would never want to call
them ever.

Like, I just.

I can't imagine doing.

I remember.

Do you remember Premiere One Driver?

Do you ever watch him or do
you ever hear about his name?

I remember he.

I don't think he makes videos
anymore because someone called FA

on him for turning off a
Runway, saying he was clear of the

Runway before he was actually clear.

And he's like, screw it.

I'm not making these videos anymore.

But it's like, you're gonna
call over that?

Like, are you kidding me?

People are.

Yeah, it's insane.

And, like, you know, there are
some times that maybe it is warranted

if someone is.

Is legit doing something
reckless, and it seems like the only

way to get a hold of them.

I've just.

Those times are few and far
between, and more often than not,

it's just, you know, someone
getting their panties in a bunch

and wanting to make noise
online and try to bring someone else

down.

So it's an interesting one.

It is.

And now that you've gone
through this twice, or not really

twice, but once was way enough.

And the other time you're
probably like, oh, my gosh, not another

time.

But are you gonna change the
way you do things, making content,

or are you just like, you know what?

I got through this.

I got it back.

I'm gonna keep doing my thing.

Yeah.

I mean, again, from the start,
I've never been one that was trying

to bend rules or get away with things.

I'm just not that guy.

So it doesn't really change
anything for me, aside from the way

I would handle an interaction
with the FAA moving forward.

Because my nature is to just
open line a conversation.

Let me be compliant.

Let's talk this through.

We can sort this out.

That's not always the best bet
with an interaction with them.

You know, it depends.

You get a phone call, that's
normally a good sign.

It means that they're just
trying to get something off their

desk without having to do too
much paperwork.

If you get a certified letter,
that means you're under investigation.

And at that point, I probably
wouldn't talk to them at all anymore.

I would just get a lawyer.

And that's the mistake I made,
because right off the gate, I said,

yes, that was me flying.

Yes, I was within 500ft of,
you know, a structure, but it was

part of a landing procedure.

But because I right out the
gate admitted it was me and that

I was within 500ft, they
basically just had me.

And any good lawyer would be
like, I don't know, can you prove

it?

And it's just like, was he in
the plane?

We don't have any records of
him being in the plane.

And even if it was that I was
in the plane, how there was no proof

that I was within 500ft,
except for I said I was.

So it's just little things
like that that you don't think of.

I'm like, yeah, I'm trying to
be compliant.

I'm trying to just, you know,
be genuine with them and trying to

do the right thing.

Right.

Yeah, yeah.

Yep.

And that doesn't always work
in your favor.

So.

Yeah, it's, it's interesting.

Such a crappy thing.

It's like.

Yeah.

I will say, though, it does
feel like there's, there's movements

in the right direction.

You know, the compliance
philosophy, I think was the first.

I don't know if you know what
that is, but 2015, I think that came

out that the FAA could no
longer go directly to legal enforcement

action if it was the pilot's
first interaction.

They had to allow the pilot to
try to comply.

As long as they're being
compliant and they're not, you know,

egregiously breaking
regulations on purp, you can always,

they, they can only do a
corrective action.

Like, worst case, you need to
take a little check ride to make

sure you're safe.

Yeah.

Or some recurrent training.

But yeah, so that was a good
push in the right direction.

And then I don't know,
there's, there's.

I don't know if you know who
Senator Ted Bud is, but didn't you

just post him today?

Yeah, yeah, I clicked on your
story today.

There you go.

Ted Bud, get a shout out.

He is out there fighting for
our rights like no one's business.

And all these protection acts
for aviation because he did the Backcountry

Aviation Protection act, which
was awesome.

It didn't get pushed through
in full, but basically just that

act alone should stop what
happened to me from happening to

others.

Basically, the regulations put
in that the FAA cannot enforce 91119

in a way that would force a
pilot to conduct a landing that's

unsafe.

Yeah.

So if you say this was an
unsafe landing, they can't use that

rule against you.

Theoretically,

you just have to have a lot of
money to pay your lawyer.

Yeah, exactly, man.

Dang.

Yeah, it's.

You know, I've, I've obviously
heard the story, but hearing it being

told from you, how it affected you.

Right.

Like the personal, like your person.

Right.

How this personally affected
you whether it was dealing with image

or dealing with just like I
didn't like, like I was trying to

do the right thing multiple times.

Right.

Like I wasn't trying to do
anything wrong.

That's not me.

It's tough, man.

And it's a real shame to see
that happen.

Ever since you started, kind
of, I feel like people knew this

was cool flying.

Right.

This was fun flying.

But I feel like your videos
really kind of turned it to another

level where now a lot of
people are getting into it, are more

interested in making content
like this, videos like this, this.

What's your recommendation to
someone that sees you and is like,

I want to be just like Trent
or I want to fly like this.

I want to do other airline
pilots doing on the side, whatever

it is.

But what's your recommendation
to them when they want to tell these

stories?

They want either maybe even
just on a level being a safe, good

pilot and doing this.

Yeah, you mean from a content creating

standpoint though, both so
like content creating and even just

like the flying can have its
risks that we talked about.

Like they're different risks,
different flying.

But I guess both from a
content creating side side because

everyone loves to take their
iPhone and wants to have YouTube

views and also just on flying
and being safe in general.

Yeah.

You know, the, the funny thing
that I learned a lot through YouTube

is, is storytelling.

And even though I'm not
directly writing or telling a story,

I'm assembling one of what
happened in the past and understanding

what key things you have to
make sure to cover when you're filming

a video as well as
understanding what truly is important

or interest people is probably
the thing that took the longest to

learn.

But I would tell most people
for one, don't over complicate it.

A lot of times we like to
think that we have to have every

piece of camera gear and have
all this, you know, high quality

equipment to make high quality content.

But really the quality of the
content does come from the story

and maintaining people's attention.

Now this doesn't mean making
crazy quick clickable stuff, but

I try not to waste viewers
time time.

So I think that comes from,
you know, the commercial days where,

you know, we were making 30
second TV spots and you don't have

a lot of time to tell a story.

So I've always been aware of,
of trying not to drag things out.

But I do think that is important.

And as a viewer of other
content, there's definitely some

that I watch that it's like if
you find yourself Skipping forward,

it's just probably a sign that
they were spending too long talking

about something that they
didn't need to.

So understanding how do you
connect all the dots of this story

with the least amount of words?

A lot of times you can tell
story without saying it right.

You can show it.

That's what visual
storytelling is.

So just kind of working on
saying, what's the story here?

What are the components?

Where's.

What's my take on it?

Like the character piece, but
keeping it brief and concise and

all that.

And yeah, I think two, I would
not recommend anyone get into it

with the goal of making it a career.

You know what I mean?

I think that's the wrong
reason to get into it.

It could be a, maybe a partial
driving force.

But you better love making
content because I will tell you,

I don't care what level you're
at in this thing, Burnout is real.

You get tired.

It's just, it's, it's, it's a
lot, man.

Putting out that much content,
you know, that's not guaranteed to

perform and might not pay out
in any sense.

Like, you got to do it because
you love it, not, not because you're

looking for a dollar sign.

So love that you said that.

I've done this podcast for
eight years.

Took me five years to make a
dollar off it.

Like, so there's five years.

Five years.

I just edited my own.

I did everything on my own.

I bought 120 microphone,
that's all I used for in free editing

software for five years to
build it up.

Now I have a nicer microphone,
a nicer setup.

But I mean, content burnout is real.

And when you start getting
paid for it, it changes the dynamic

of your relationship with the
content too, because now you view

it as more of a job.

And unfortunately your mind
shifts too.

Like, I have to make this video.

I have to do this, this.

It's not like, all right,
we're going to go fly, have fun.

Let's go with our boys and go
enjoy or go with our friends and

go camp.

It's like, all right, no, what
we did camping last Tuesday.

So now this Tuesday, I need to
make sure that I show this and this

brand.

You know, it just, it
complicates things.

It does for sure.

And there's two sides to that
too, because, like, I've been very

fortunate.

I'm sure you're aware.

Squarespace, they, they've
been a longtime sponsor.

They book multiple videos a
month on a yearly basis.

So it's the first Time in my
adult life that I've had a kind of

guaranteed income come as far
as like knowing there's work with

the drone industry.

It was like the phone stops
ringing, you're unemployed until

it rings again.

So from that part it's been nice.

Obviously there is the weight.

I got to put out content.

Whether it's the content I
want to make or not, I still got

to put it out.

And sometimes you have to put
out content that you don't feel as

proud of as some of the other stuff.

But what's been really good
about that is it's forced consistency

with me.

Me and taught me to push
through a lot of videos that I probably

wouldn't have made because I
kind of felt like I had to.

But those were the videos that
I learned so much and it was kind

of like you build new skills
through all of those.

You know, it's easy to tell a
story about a super awesome adventure.

Right.

It's harder to tell a story
about something that's less exciting.

Right.

And so that's, that's where
those obligations have helped.

But they're definitely like
going back to the burnout thing.

It's, it's no joke and you
kind of start feeling the weight

of it and, and all that.

But you know, I guess going
back to the recommendations too with

the, the simplifying shooting
on an iPhone is great.

You just really want to make
sure you have a ways to cover the

story.

And if it is flying, you know,
having camera angles that show your

aircraft the environment and
you are probably the, the key three

if you wanted to get crazy and
start putting a bunch of camera mounts

on your plane.

But I think yeah, yeah, don't
over complicate it.

You can really shoot a whole
video just on your iPhone and just

see like can I tell this story?

Well, it doesn't have to be
produced super high quality looking.

I mean these phones have such
good cameras anyway.

So I shoot a lot on the iPhone
for my current YouTube stuff too.

So anyone that thinks they
need a fancy camera, you know, out.

Yeah, I mean I got a fancy
camera recording these and it's like,

I mean I'm sure my iPhone do
just as job cuz I don't know everything

that goes into.

It's like a cinema level
camera that I just used for this

shot.

I can't do anything other than
the setting that my editor told me

to put on there with that.

Yeah, it's one thing I wanted
to touch on too is I, I.

There's been so many People
have tried to start podcasts.

You might feel the same with
the YouTube and videos, and you're

like, oh, dude, that's
actually really good.

Like, keep it up.

Like, keep going.

And you've probably seen this
in YouTube as well.

The number one thing for me
that I think people that make it

and don't make it is the consistency.

If you just 100 post, if you,
as soon as you stop, like, you just

shoot all the momentum down
and you never know when you're gonna

finally hit it, but you just
gotta keep going and don't stop.

I mean, there's been a million
YouTubers that you watch and then

they don't get the money
within a month or two months or the

views start dropping down.

They get one video that goes
super viral and then they have 10

that don't go anything.

So like, all right, well, I'm done.

But just keep posting.

Be consistent is the, the
number one advice I'd give everyone.

I'm guessing it'd be the same
for you.

Yeah.

And you know, again, the.

How hard you make it on
yourself is something you can choose.

So that's where I think a lot
of people try to produce content

at such a high level that
they're pouring their heart and soul

into each video, which is great.

And if you're enjoying that
process, continue to do that.

But, but if you're just doing
that because you feel like you have

to, you're gonna burn out.

It's just, it's not sustainable.

So finding a way to keep it
fun and, and easy at the cost of

what, you know, people might
think is quality, I think is, is

a worthwhile compromise.

And it's funny, it's.

It's similar to anything, right?

Like trying to be healthy.

If someone just says, I am
going to go on this insane diet and

I'm going to work out, like,
yeah, sounds great, but you're not

going to stick to it because
that's not sustainable.

So, like, figuring out what
you can continue to do and build

the, the routine and be able
to show up and be consistent is going

to be the best approach.

Absolutely.

And you mentioned earlier
where you've like, you put on, I

mean, not necessarily like a
character or show, but this is you

edited down to 15, 10, 20
minute videos.

What's something that people
might be surprised about you about,

Trent, personally, in your own
personal life that they don't know

about you, that you can't put
off in those videos is.

I don't, I don't, I'm, I'm
more of a smart ass than I probably

show on video.

And I think I have more of a
sense of humor than I know how to.

To film of myself, if that
makes sense.

Yeah.

At least that's the feedback
I've got from some friends.

They meet you like, oh, dude,
you're actually funny.

Yeah.

I thought you were just like, yeah.

So that part's interesting.

And I never know how to take
that because it's a compliment that

they think I'm.

I'm.

I'm better in real life than
on video, which is a compliment.

But it's also saying, like,
well, I'm doing myself a disservice

in my videos because I don't
know how to be me well enough to

communicate that.

So it's interesting.

But it is really interesting.

And then you're gonna start
making jokes and you're like.

They're gonna be like, oh, no,
he's a funny guy.

Yeah, exactly.

You know what else is funny?

The podcast thing.

I have been meaning to start a
podcast for six years.

I have shot the first episode
three different times.

Was unhappy with it.

Yep.

I've got it all set up.

I have all the gear and I just clearly.

Yeah, so it's one of those
things I need to, you know, just

do it.

It's.

It's a.

It's an uncomfortable space
for me.

This unedited, you know, raw
nature is not in my comfort zone.

So I find that I. I think a
little too much.

Like right now I'm, you know,
try not to sound stupid when you're

talking.

Whereas if I'm just shooting a
vlog, I can just.

Just, you know, do another take.

So it's funny that side of things,

it's totally different than
video because I feel way like if

I. I've tried to do, like,
vlogging moments.

I made a couple videos and
just like, when I go like this with

a camera, I just immediately
just like change.

Like, I'm not the same person.

Like, I talk different, I look different.

It's like, what am I doing?

Like, I don't know, but this
is more comfortable to me.

It's like, all right, well, I
mean, I'm obviously the one interviewing

too, so that's a little bit
easier for me.

But.

But it, it definitely is
interesting how it's so different

and how it.

Not necessarily.

It's not going to translate,
but how immediately it doesn't translate.

Yeah, yeah, it is funny.

And like I said, it took me a
long time to get comfortable in front

of camera, and I still have
days that, like.

Like you said, holding it out,
selfie mode.

It's like.

It's weird.

I'm like, I can't get into the
right head space.

The weirdest was that first
year at Oshkosh when I would just

started vlogging.

And I was vlogging the whole
trip to Oshkosh and Oshkosh itself.

And so I land and a whole
bunch of people come up to see us.

Like I was with the flying cowboys.

So it was like a thing.

And then I pull out my camera
and I watch everyone just turn and

watch me vlog.

Like, they're like, oh, this
is how he does it.

And I'm just like, I feel so
dumb right now, man.

Like.

Like, I'm the guy selfie mode,
talking to his camera in front of

people.

And back then, I think it was
less common, you know, like, it seems

like now people are pretty
used to it.

It.

And also the.

The way that most people know
me is through the YouTube thing.

So it's more, you know, accepted.

Early on, when I was just
starting it, and the guys I used

to fly with, they see me pull
out a camera and start filming myself,

and they're like, what's this
kid doing?

Exactly.

So, yeah, it just comes with practice.

I went on.

So Aviation 101, Josh.

We met up.

We flew to Garmin together.

It was a great video because
he almost killed me in a thunderstorm.

So you haven't watched it.

I recommend you watch it.

It was great.

I actually did watch that one.

Did you?

All right, well, yeah, we met up.

What I was very surprised
about the whole scenario is I thought.

I'm guessing you were probably
the same.

I thought it was going to be
kind of a production, but it was

truly just like, we're going
to go fly, and we will pick the moment

and the story that it tells.

There was no pressure to do anything.

I felt like I was really
impressed with how professional everything

was and how much this was
like, we're going to go fly.

We're going to fly safely,
albeit through a thunderstorm, and

this is gonna be good.

Uh, but I was just very impressed.

And I'm guessing that's
probably how you run things, too.

I hope so.

Yeah, I would.

It would be interesting to see
if you were around me with my process,

but I would think so.

One of the biggest things for
me is trying to be low impact to

my friends that are out there
for the experience.

So when we're out in the back
country doing a camping trip, I try

not to, like, slow down our
adventure by saying, hold on, I need

to film this.

Or hold, like, I need to get
the drone out.

Can you guys wait?

And they're just sitting
twiddling their thumbs.

So I'm.

I'm very cognizant of trying
to be, you know, more of the fly

on the wall and I'm running
gun and they shouldn't.

I'm hoping I don't screw up
things and.

And change their experience by.

By making my videos.

So I'll get.

I'll get everyone on that you
fly with be like, how is Trent?

Does he do this?

Or better yet, I'll just come out.

You mentioned we can do this
in person.

I wish we had the time to do that.

That'd be sick.

But I. I'll take you up on
offer one day and I'll let you know.

Just.

Yeah, no, I. I avoid that stuff.

I'm terrified of weather.

Yeah.

I always joke.

I always joke with Josh.

So there was no mal intent in
those jokes that I said.

I. I think I'm funnier than I
actually am.

So someone's going to do this.

Like, oh, we actually almost
did die.

It's like, no, but it was not fun.

No, dude, I had a gnarly one
going into sun and fun, which I.

I haven't really talked about.

Out.

Let's do it.

I guess we should.

Yeah.

So mind you, I'd been without
a license and without a plane at

least for, you know, eight
months at that point.

Well, I had the.

The license for four months of
that, but I hadn't really been flying,

and I was pretty new to Cubs,
so we just finished my plane and

I'm flying it.

You know, I maybe had 20 hours
or no, I guess a little more than

that, but we were trying to
make it to.

I forget the name in Florida.

A.

It was going to be a push, though.

We.

We had low ceilings all day.

Like, started at 1500ft, and
then we knew that we were going to

be pushing into the dark.

So it was kind of evening hour.

And, you know, as it's
starting to get dark, the ceilings

dropped from 1500 to a
thousand to 750 to 500.

And then it was just after
sunset, the dew point spread went

to zero.

And then out of nowhere, it
was like, this is building around,

like, we're in it.

And so I was with another
plane, told them, hey, we.

We need to divert and go to Tallahassee.

And at this point, Tallahassee
is reporting ifr.

So, Yep.

So we had to Get a special VFR
to get in there.

And so what that means is they
have to clear out all the IFR traffic

prior.

So my friend in the lead plane
said, hey, stay here, I'll be right

back to this frequency.

I'm going to talk to them.

Well, he never came back and
he didn't tell me what frequency.

And at this point we are, I
don't know, 400 AGL, 500 IF.

But touching the, the ceiling
and the viz wasn't that great anyway.

But the guy in front of me is
going into the clouds and out of

the clouds.

So it was everything I could
do to keep eyes on him and then switch

down to ADS B to follow him.

Because we were circling out,
you know, in between towers out in

the middle of nowhere.

And the towers are going into
the fog or into the cloud, I should

say.

And we spent a good 25 minutes
of just orbiting, waiting to get

in.

And I'm just chasing that
strobe in front of me.

I knew if I lost him there
were like two blind mice.

And that's how midairs happen.

So my first night landing was,
you know, in the dark, in fog.

I mean, we probably still had
1 mile of visibility maybe.

But yeah, we got the special
VFR got in and I earned the, the

drink that night and, and the
worst was the next day.

We got out there and it was
like, it looked great.

We were fine.

We took off right back into it
and we were just like tree level.

Yeah.

Just trying to scud run our
way out.

We had friends on the radio
and they were to the north of us,

same frequency, and they were
just laughing because they had like

all sorts of visibility, a
thousand foot ceilings.

I'm out there like trying to,
you know, weave my left wing in between

trees on my right wing's in
the cloud trying to get out of there.

But it wasn't that bad.

I just, I'm exaggerating.

But they could tell that we
were a little stressed on the radio.

It was Virgil who owns
Bearhawk Aircraft, and I, I, we ended

up getting split away from the
other guys at Legend and we did make

our way up and found the
other, the crew and got out of it.

But man, I was like, I do not
need to screw with weather at all

anymore.

Yeah, weather's no fun, man,
whether you're in a 737, a bear hawk,

just avoid it.

It is.

I spent a lot of time, single
pilot, 135 and a PC 12 in a caravan.

Learned a lot about weather.

I know what I want to get into
and don't want to get into.

It's like I've seen the
scenario before.

I know we're kind of running
out of time here, but one thing I

wanted to ask is just do you
feel you brought up Florida kind

of flying low.

That's not necessarily your
comfort zone.

Right.

Like you're usually around
mountains, you're usually around

doing this other stuff.

Do you feel more comfortable
in those situations when you're in

an area that you're flying
that you have flown before, so say

like the Reno area or
mountains, Boise, all that area.

But when you go to Florida in
that scenario, do you still feel

as comfortable?

Because it's completely
different terrain, albeit much flatter.

But there's just different
kind of stuff that you would have

to worry about.

About.

Yeah, I mean the weather is
the big thing.

Like I've never seen like my
dew point doesn't ever around us.

We don't really get fog that
often unless it's a big storm and

you're not flying anyway.

So like right now it's a full
blizzard out and no one's flying.

But.

But yeah, in Florida that,
that was a trip to me.

I. I've never really
experienced that.

So that was a little scary.

And Alaska has similar weather too.

That the harder thing with
Alaska is you get both.

You have these gigantic mountains.

Mountains and you have the
super quickly changing weather and

very few weather reporting sites.

So it's like you don't have
great weather information that out

there.

Like there's nothing to access.

So yeah, I'm definitely much
more comfortable where I spend most

of my time, which is out here.

But yeah, it was the weather
that gets me.

And, and every time it's on
the Oshkosh or once we're getting

over on the east side of the
Rockies that I'm dealing with convective

activity that I'm not used to.

And yeah, dry line storms.

Just like what is happening.

Tornadoes, what the heck.

Exactly.

What's kind of a dream video
that you, you were hoping to tell?

Like are you I want to fly
across the world type person or go

to Alaska.

I don't know, go somewhere
cool, a different continent.

Is there like a dream video
that you really want to tell?

Story that you want to tell?

I don't know.

Not.

Not at the moment.

The.

The big bucket list one was
Alaska and I did that last year here.

Yeah.

The next big piece of the
puzzle is.

Is floats.

I've got a set on order so
I'll be going on Floats, hopefully

this summer and kind of
learning that whole side of things

and doing more adventures that
are based on float access instead

of just strips.

So yeah, maybe a British
Columbia or Ontario trip on floats

and maybe all the way up into
the Yukon too.

I know that there's some
awesome flying and some good guys

to fly with up there.

So those are all on my radar.

Love it, man.

And you mentioned earlier if
you were looking for a bigger plane

that you could fly, you know,
you can come to North Carolina, hang

out, fly in the real estate,
you know, good place to fly.

I live in North Carolina.

But what would your, what
would it be?

Have you ever thought about it?

You're like, it's going to be
a bonanza.

It's going to be a TBM.

It's going to be PC12 kind of.

What would the plane be?

I, for a long time have wanted
to build an RV10.

Yeah.

And put a parachute in it and
just make it like my poor man Cirrus.

Because I think for, for where
I live, like I'm crossing large mountain

ranges regularly and for me to
be comfortable doing so at night

or in imc, like I, I need to
be able to have a, you know, emergency

button that I can land anywhere.

Absolutely.

Because yeah, if you're just
gonna fly in day, you know, I could

follow highways and fly over
most of the roads pretty comfortably.

But if I wanted a true IFR and
night aircraft, I probably, I see

the value in a parachute on,
on one of those, especially a.

Again, higher wing loading,
higher energy aircraft.

Yeah, totally agree.

Well, Trent, man, I appreciate
you coming on.

We mentioned earlier, it's a
long time coming.

I feel like we left other
things that we can touch on in other

episodes in the future and
eventually I'll put you, we'll get

you in the magazine as well.

Yeah, dude, I need to send you one.

Dude, when you hold it, you're
gonna be like, this is sick.

Somehow it came out better
than ever imagine.

I just need more people to
read magazines, right?

You got to bring them back.

Got to bring them back.

Yeah.

Well, I'm excited to check it out.

I haven't got my hands on one
yet, but it looks great from what

I've seen.

Nice work, man.

Thanks.

Appreciate it.

But I appreciate coming on, man.

This will, this will be a fun
one and I'm excited.

I appreciate you being honest
about how things made you feel because,

I mean, I think it's important
to talk about and yeah, it's a great

story, so appreciate it, dude.

Awesome.

Yeah, well, thanks for having me.

That's a wrap on today's episode.

Thank you so much for
listening, Trent.

I appreciate you coming on on.

I'll have to come out so we
can come fly together.

It'd be a lot of fun.

But aviation?

Go check out the magazine pilotepilothq.

Com mag and get it today
because it's the best magazine, I

promise you.

And there's podcasts there, so
if you don't want to read it, you

can always listen.

I appreciate your time.

Thank you so much.

And as always, happy flying.