PA28 flight instructor landing at O88 airport reported observing a rc aircraft apparently operating ...

Attributes
ACN	1516305
Time
Date	201802
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	O88.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Operating Under FAR Part	Other 107
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65 Flight Crew Total 2900 Flight Crew Type 2000
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Airborne Conflict
Miss Distance	Horizontal 5000 Vertical 800

Narrative:

While inbound to land at rio vista airport in VMC; my student pilot and I were setting up to approach runway 7 at the 45 degree entry angle to the downwind leg. I had just completed the landing checklist and a 10 NM advisory radio transmission on CTAF 122.725. My attention was immediately drawn to a large rc aircraft making aerobatic maneuvers directly in front of my aircraft approximately 800 feet below my flight path and was operating well above the 400 ft uas flight altitude restriction. I was alarmed to see the aircraft at this altitude and recognized flight at this altitude by (uas) is prohibited by the FAA. I did not have to make any evasive action. However; I continued my concern about the RA aircraft and where it was headed so I could avoid evasive action or collision. Both I and my student saw the aircraft initially but we did not see the aircraft again. The flight terminated at rio vista airport (O88) without any further incident.after landing I researched information via the internet. There is a remote-controlled airport near isleton; ca. In conclusion; it is my opinion the rc aircraft I witnessed exceeding the FAA altitude prohibition was operating from this location.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 flight instructor landing at O88 airport reported observing a RC aircraft apparently operating outside of the charted parameters associated with the RC operations area.

Narrative: While inbound to land at Rio Vista Airport in VMC; my student pilot and I were setting up to approach runway 7 at the 45 degree entry angle to the downwind leg. I had just completed the landing checklist and a 10 NM advisory radio transmission on CTAF 122.725. My attention was immediately drawn to a large RC aircraft making aerobatic maneuvers directly in front of my aircraft approximately 800 feet below my flight path and was operating WELL above the 400 ft UAS flight altitude restriction. I was alarmed to see the aircraft at this altitude and recognized flight at this altitude by (UAS) is prohibited by the FAA. I did NOT have to make any evasive action. However; I continued my concern about the RA aircraft and where it was headed so I could avoid evasive action or collision. Both I and my student saw the aircraft initially but we did NOT see the aircraft again. The flight terminated at Rio Vista Airport (O88) without any further incident.After landing I researched information via the internet. There is a Remote-Controlled Airport near Isleton; Ca. In conclusion; it is my opinion the RC aircraft I witnessed exceeding the FAA altitude prohibition was operating from this location.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

PA28 flight instructor landing at O88 airport reported observing a rc aircraft apparently operating outside of the charted parameters associated with the rc operations area.