Pilot concerned with radio controled model aircraft operating within confines of airport, class east...

Attributes
ACN	419304
Time
Date	199808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : prb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	419304
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Toy airplanes (radio controled) flying in the class east airspace around the prb airport while conditions are IMC and while instrument approachs are in progress. Removing the toy airplanes from the airport will solve this problem. Callback conversation with prb airport official revealed the following information: analyst called a prb airport official to validate the reporter's claims. Approximately 2 yrs ago, the airport official advised that airport users and radio aircraft club members were asked to review operational procedures and activities by the FAA. Radio aircraft activity had been in operation at prb by that time for approximately 10 yrs. An area was provided for this activity 3000 ft east of the runway 13/31, restr at or below 400 ft. Traffic pattern altitude for runway 13/31 is 1000 ft. The club was to provide an aircraft spotter. The club was restr to VFR (1000 ft) and 7 mi visibility. They must be able to see the hill line east of the airport. An sjc FSDO official reviewed and approved this activity. The airport official stated that he coordinated with other airport users on a continual basis about this and other airport activity and had only received one complaint.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CONCERNED WITH RADIO CTLED MODEL ACFT OPERATING WITHIN CONFINES OF ARPT, CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: TOY AIRPLANES (RADIO CTLED) FLYING IN THE CLASS E AIRSPACE AROUND THE PRB ARPT WHILE CONDITIONS ARE IMC AND WHILE INST APCHS ARE IN PROGRESS. REMOVING THE TOY AIRPLANES FROM THE ARPT WILL SOLVE THIS PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH PRB ARPT OFFICIAL REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST CALLED A PRB ARPT OFFICIAL TO VALIDATE THE RPTR'S CLAIMS. APPROX 2 YRS AGO, THE ARPT OFFICIAL ADVISED THAT ARPT USERS AND RADIO ACFT CLUB MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO REVIEW OPERATIONAL PROCS AND ACTIVITIES BY THE FAA. RADIO ACFT ACTIVITY HAD BEEN IN OP AT PRB BY THAT TIME FOR APPROX 10 YRS. AN AREA WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS ACTIVITY 3000 FT E OF THE RWY 13/31, RESTR AT OR BELOW 400 FT. TFC PATTERN ALT FOR RWY 13/31 IS 1000 FT. THE CLUB WAS TO PROVIDE AN ACFT SPOTTER. THE CLUB WAS RESTR TO VFR (1000 FT) AND 7 MI VISIBILITY. THEY MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THE HILL LINE E OF THE ARPT. AN SJC FSDO OFFICIAL REVIEWED AND APPROVED THIS ACTIVITY. THE ARPT OFFICIAL STATED THAT HE COORDINATED WITH OTHER ARPT USERS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS ABOUT THIS AND OTHER ARPT ACTIVITY AND HAD ONLY RECEIVED ONE COMPLAINT.

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.

Pilot concerned with radio controled model aircraft operating within confines of airport, class east airspace.