Narrative:

Radio controled aircraft were observed operating in the air traffic area, on the airport and on movement areas. Aircraft had been landing and departing including air carrier operations and fgts operating in the traffic pattern. Personnel operating the radio controled aircraft were given permission by the airport director but no one else was notified. No NOTAMS or waivers were issued. Air traffic operations where suspended immediately in the interest of air safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this occurred around shift change and was just coming on duty. Was not working position, but saw the model aircraft flying up to approximately 200 ft. Did not see any conflicts with other aircraft. The airport stayed closed for less than 30 mins until the model aircraft could be stopped. There was no information in the tower on this event, either pertaining to model aircraft or closing a portion of the movement areas. Thinks that atm notified the regional office about this, but not sure if discussion with airport manager took place. Supplemental information from acn 258688: while on break in the tower cabin attendant, I observed a model helicopter off the departure end of runway 28 (runway in use) at approximately 2-300 ft AGL. No one in the tower was aware of this operation. I suggested to local control that practice lndgs be stopped. There were fgt's in pattern. Traffic count was in the 50S for that period of time. We stopped traffic - sent out security, had the activity stopped. It turns out airport authority/authorized approved the operation (attached) - no NOTAMS sent - no coordination with tower. Is it legal to have remote controlled aircraft in air traffic area? This could have been disastrous!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MODEL ACFT BEING OPERATED IN THE TFC PATTERN WITHOUT ATC KNOWLEDGE AND IN CLOSE PROX WITH TFC.

Narrative: RADIO CTLED ACFT WERE OBSERVED OPERATING IN THE ATA, ON THE ARPT AND ON MOVEMENT AREAS. ACFT HAD BEEN LANDING AND DEPARTING INCLUDING ACR OPS AND FGTS OPERATING IN THE TFC PATTERN. PERSONNEL OPERATING THE RADIO CTLED ACFT WERE GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE ARPT DIRECTOR BUT NO ONE ELSE WAS NOTIFIED. NO NOTAMS OR WAIVERS WERE ISSUED. AIR TFC OPS WHERE SUSPENDED IMMEDIATELY IN THE INTEREST OF AIR SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS OCCURRED AROUND SHIFT CHANGE AND WAS JUST COMING ON DUTY. WAS NOT WORKING POS, BUT SAW THE MODEL ACFT FLYING UP TO APPROX 200 FT. DID NOT SEE ANY CONFLICTS WITH OTHER ACFT. THE ARPT STAYED CLOSED FOR LESS THAN 30 MINS UNTIL THE MODEL ACFT COULD BE STOPPED. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION IN THE TWR ON THIS EVENT, EITHER PERTAINING TO MODEL ACFT OR CLOSING A PORTION OF THE MOVEMENT AREAS. THINKS THAT ATM NOTIFIED THE REGIONAL OFFICE ABOUT THIS, BUT NOT SURE IF DISCUSSION WITH ARPT MGR TOOK PLACE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 258688: WHILE ON BREAK IN THE TWR CAB, I OBSERVED A MODEL HELI OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 28 (RWY IN USE) AT APPROX 2-300 FT AGL. NO ONE IN THE TWR WAS AWARE OF THIS OP. I SUGGESTED TO LCL CTL THAT PRACTICE LNDGS BE STOPPED. THERE WERE FGT'S IN PATTERN. TFC COUNT WAS IN THE 50S FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. WE STOPPED TFC - SENT OUT SECURITY, HAD THE ACTIVITY STOPPED. IT TURNS OUT ARPT AUTH APPROVED THE OP (ATTACHED) - NO NOTAMS SENT - NO COORD WITH TWR. IS IT LEGAL TO HAVE REMOTE CONTROLLED ACFT IN ATA? THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS!

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.