Narrative:

Rc model aircraft observed several times between 500-700 ft AGL while on crosswind leg. Model aircraft repeatedly observed less than 200 ft horizontal, climbing and descending through our altitude while on crosswind for runway 10 at 7g0. Spoke with rc model club president who said the ceiling of their operations is typically 500-800 ft AGL, and that they cannot accurately judge altitude. This type of operation is a hazard for VFR runway 10 pattern and GPS 28 operations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he has spoken to the airport manager who indicates that the airport is a pvtly owned public use airport. They feel caught in the middle of community opinion should they discourage one aspect of activity opposed by another. The model airplane club has been operating for 25 yrs. The problem is that newer model airplanes fly higher and faster than they used to. One modeler indicates he can be at 3000 ft within mins of takeoff. He uses head mounted field glasses to follow his aircraft. The modelers cannot accurately determine altitude. They do have parameters within which they control the lateral bounds but even that is not always accurate. Reporter has been to the FSDO and the response is that the FARS do not address this area of concern. Reporter has also contacted the eastern region and was informed that there was a similar situation at teb airport. They invoked far 77 regarding terps protection aspects. Reporter feels this may be usable for this situation too. Allegedly, the teb situation was resolved by agreeing that the radio controled aircraft could not operate above the tops of the nearby buildings. The field for the modelers is on parks property but close to the approach departure rtes. On the GPS approach, if one needs to circle to land, the path is directly over the modeler's field. Reporter feels this is a time bomb waiting to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT OF C172 IN THE TFC PATTERN HAS NMAC WITH RADIO CTLED MODEL ACFT AT 500-700 FT AGL.

Narrative: RC MODEL ACFT OBSERVED SEVERAL TIMES BTWN 500-700 FT AGL WHILE ON XWIND LEG. MODEL ACFT REPEATEDLY OBSERVED LESS THAN 200 FT HORIZ, CLBING AND DSNDING THROUGH OUR ALT WHILE ON XWIND FOR RWY 10 AT 7G0. SPOKE WITH RC MODEL CLUB PRESIDENT WHO SAID THE CEILING OF THEIR OPS IS TYPICALLY 500-800 FT AGL, AND THAT THEY CANNOT ACCURATELY JUDGE ALT. THIS TYPE OF OP IS A HAZARD FOR VFR RWY 10 PATTERN AND GPS 28 OPS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS SPOKEN TO THE ARPT MGR WHO INDICATES THAT THE ARPT IS A PVTLY OWNED PUBLIC USE ARPT. THEY FEEL CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF COMMUNITY OPINION SHOULD THEY DISCOURAGE ONE ASPECT OF ACTIVITY OPPOSED BY ANOTHER. THE MODEL AIRPLANE CLUB HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR 25 YRS. THE PROB IS THAT NEWER MODEL AIRPLANES FLY HIGHER AND FASTER THAN THEY USED TO. ONE MODELER INDICATES HE CAN BE AT 3000 FT WITHIN MINS OF TKOF. HE USES HEAD MOUNTED FIELD GLASSES TO FOLLOW HIS ACFT. THE MODELERS CANNOT ACCURATELY DETERMINE ALT. THEY DO HAVE PARAMETERS WITHIN WHICH THEY CTL THE LATERAL BOUNDS BUT EVEN THAT IS NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE. RPTR HAS BEEN TO THE FSDO AND THE RESPONSE IS THAT THE FARS DO NOT ADDRESS THIS AREA OF CONCERN. RPTR HAS ALSO CONTACTED THE EASTERN REGION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR SIT AT TEB ARPT. THEY INVOKED FAR 77 REGARDING TERPS PROTECTION ASPECTS. RPTR FEELS THIS MAY BE USABLE FOR THIS SIT TOO. ALLEGEDLY, THE TEB SIT WAS RESOLVED BY AGREEING THAT THE RADIO CTLED ACFT COULD NOT OPERATE ABOVE THE TOPS OF THE NEARBY BUILDINGS. THE FIELD FOR THE MODELERS IS ON PARKS PROPERTY BUT CLOSE TO THE APCH DEP RTES. ON THE GPS APCH, IF ONE NEEDS TO CIRCLE TO LAND, THE PATH IS DIRECTLY OVER THE MODELER'S FIELD. RPTR FEELS THIS IS A TIME BOMB WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.