RC model airplane at Airport

brien23

brien23

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Does anyone share a airport with RC airplanes. How does that work out do they have a radio that they can here others landing and work well or not.
 
Doesn’t seem like a good idea


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gsengle said:
Doesn’t seem like a good idea


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I don't think it would work at a airport that has a lot of activity, some airports are not very active a few flights a day and could use the money from a RC club to fly. Not sure i see the problem if their not in the air with big planes at the same time.
 
Not sure if they're still doing it, but Fernandina Beach Airport used to have a fairly active RC Club that flew at the airport. The club's rules addressed deconfliction to the point that others didn't have to do a thing. In fact, most pilots that flew in there didn't have a clue the club was operating.
 
Do they call approach or departure control? :confused: :)
 
We use a hand held and announce operations commencing and ending on the ramp. No runway or taxiway is used. Anytime an aircraft enters the pattern, the RC aircraft lands.

We don’t consider it a “mixed use facility” as in AMA guidance but we do use common sense safety precautions and remain “well clear” of manned aircraft.

https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/540-D.pdf
 
There was one (grass strip) in N FL that had RCs, ultralights and a DZ, really wasn’t a issue.
 
Aurora NE (KAUH) has an RC field right next to approach end of rwy 34. Airport is uncontrolled. The seem to make it work. They have spotters and land if they see or hear any traffic.
 
Velocity173 said:
We use a hand held and announce operations commencing and ending on the ramp. No runway or taxiway is used. Anytime an aircraft enters the pattern, the RC aircraft lands.

We don’t consider it a “mixed use facility” as in AMA guidance but we do use common sense safety precautions and remain “well clear” of manned aircraft.

https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/540-D.pdf
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This was my experience when a nearby airport had an RC club. They all stopped, watched me land, taxi back (no taxiway) and takeoff.
 
Introduce one drone flyer and I'll bet the whole thing craps the bed in a heart beat!
 
We have one right below the downwind leg, both ends of the runway as one has left traffic, other right traffic. Thought about making a simulated engine failure approach there a few times. :D
 
There's one under the pattern at Campbell Airport in Grayslake, IL (C81). It's less of a concern than the high tension lines.

Hahn's Sky Ranch (2TS) - a grass strip in Wayne, WI south of OSH a bit is home to http://www.skyranchflyers.com/ It's no longer officially an airport, but still an R/C field. I flew in there a few times for events, or just to drop by. Busier days, they had someone monitoring a handheld and would clear the field when I announced inbound (I had a buddy who flew there and I had the inside info, or I might have been too intimidated to do it). The random Thursday or whatever I stopped by, I just did a wide pass and by the time I came back around, everyone was down. And they were always stoked to see me. One time, the owner of the field was out for their corn roast and took me on a tour on his golf cart to point out all the gopher holes and circled them a few times so the grass was knocked down for me to spot them on takeoff.

It can work, and it can not work, really depends on the folks involved.
 
If the operators are responsible enough to keep them out of the way of arriving and departing aircraft, than I wouldn't have a problem with it, but we know how well that goes. Personally, there's better places to fly RC aircraft than at an airport.
 
Anymouse said:
Not sure if they're still doing it, but Fernandina Beach Airport used to have a fairly active RC Club that flew at the airport. The club's rules addressed deconfliction to the point that others didn't have to do a thing. In fact, most pilots that flew in there didn't have a clue the club was operating.
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I don’t know how long ago that was but I haven’t seen any RC planes in the area.
 
Ryanb said:
If the operators are responsible enough to keep them out of the way of arriving and departing aircraft, than I wouldn't have a problem with it, but we know how well that goes. Personally, there's better places to fly RC aircraft than at an airport.
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Name one. Most airports have lots of room, windsocks, clear and unobstructed views in at least a couple of directions, and acres of cleared area. Sounds about perfect for, uh, I don't know... flying airplanes, maybe? ;) No place better.
 
The airport manager at my "home away from home" airport does a lot of RC flying from the taxiways. He and his friends do a great job of keeping an eye out for traffic and it has never caused a problem or any consternation for me.
 
We fly RC off our local airport runway, and a group has been flying here for 20 plus years without incident. It is a small town airport with not many daily operations, although the University of Oklahoma flight school uses it regularly for training. It's a 3000' asphalt runway. They guys in my group have an agreement with the City to let us fly. Our agreement consists mainly of three points: Full scale aircraft ALWAYS have the right of way in the air and on the ground, we must have two way comms with aircraft, and we have to call and let the PD know when we are flying.

There's really nothing to it. If there is an airplane coming or going, we get on the ground. It usually takes less than a minute to get an RC on the ground, so we can easily stay out of the way. About half of us are full scale pilots as well, and we do our very best to operate responsibly and maintain a good relationship with the City and fellow pilots. We are not an official club. Just a bunch of dudes that love to fly stuff.

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I just wish our local RC guys would have a handheld. Sometimes on the ground you want to talk to them while taxing and it just turns into strange alien hand signals. But they are respectful. Actually with a radio I could probably tell them my intent and when done so they wouldn't have to keep shutting it down and moving off the field. My main concern is they love to fly right over the arrival end of the runway on our SE wind days. Kind a freaks me out.
 
Sinistar said:
I just wish our local RC guys would have a handheld. Sometimes on the ground you want to talk to them while taxing and it just turns into strange alien hand signals. But they are respectful. Actually with a radio I could probably tell them my intent and when done so they wouldn't have to keep shutting it down and moving off the field. My main concern is they love to fly right over the arrival end of the runway on our SE wind days. Kind a freaks me out.
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Perhaps you should talk to them about it or buy a used one and donate it to them. They do not want to risk their expensive models any more than you want to risk yoir aircraft being damaged.
 
I used to fly RC off the runway at a Navy "OLF" that was only in use by the big boys during published times. Also, I've seen several RC fields located under the downwind leg of active municipal airports. Since the traditional RC (as opposed to the POV camera, GPS, autopilot equipped, and gyro stabilized "drones") were operated within the boundaries of the RC "airfield" and below 400' agl, it was never a problem.

These idiots flying the push-button quad-copters into the traffic pattern at airports are outlaws and not the same thing as traditional RC enthusiasts.
 
If it's an AMA sanctioned club there are usually no problems.
There are a number of clubs in the NY, CT, MA, NH area that share the airport with full scale aircraft.
The club I belong to hosts a number of events at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, in fact the next event is Sept 7, 8, 9.
Great Barrington had an event 2 weeks ago.
 
brien23 said:
Does anyone share a airport with RC airplanes. How does that work out do they have a radio that they can here others landing and work well or not.
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Sebastian, FL (X26) does. I’ve never even noticed them while flying.
 
The M210 I flew yesterday and today has ADSB in, it warned me that aircraft were nearby and to descend immediately. Not that I needed to or anything, I had two visual observers and I was inspecting a cell tower but it was really cool.
 
Lachlan said:
Name one. Most airports have lots of room, windsocks, clear and unobstructed views in at least a couple of directions, and acres of cleared area. Sounds about perfect for, uh, I don't know... flying airplanes, maybe? ;) No place better.
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Well preferably places that are specifically made for RC airplanes. We have two RC air parks around here. They have their own runway and windsock.
 
Ryanb said:
Well preferably places that are specifically made for RC airplanes. We have two RC air parks around here. They have their own runway and windsock.
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So it’s ok if full scale airplanes land at rc fields?

 
If I had an RC field closer than the airport and didn’t pay fees, I’d go. Closest decent field is 1.5 hrs away. Some of these fields have too many obstacles and houses to avoid as well. My airport is wide open and might get one manned aircraft every 15 minutes. We’re not a hazard to anyone.

Don’t care for a runway use policy though. Guy at one of the local airports uses a turbine and wrecked it on the runway. PA28 had to do a go around because of it. That’s interfering in manned operations.
 
brien23 said:
Does anyone share a airport with RC airplanes. How does that work out do they have a radio that they can here others landing and work well or not.
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FWIW, coordination is key. Playing with toys at a real airport is a good way to lose a toy or kill a pilot.

 
Most model aircraft clubs follow responsible guidelines and are not likely to be problematic. I worry more about uninformed loners. Practically, it might be somewhere between frustrating and difficult to operate safely at a high activity GA airport, and a quieter location should be identified.

We've had no issues with part 107 ops.
 
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