Originally Posted by
geneh-RCU
This was not second or third-hand information. How do you know? I spoke to the airport manager in person about this and for your info this airport did receive federal money for some upgrades. This is when the problems started. The manager told me that he loved having us fly there and was forced to stop it against his wishes.
So the airport manager told you that was what the FAA told him. That's second hand information. I'm not casting dispersion on anyone, but it is very questionable because even if they did get some Federal money, there is no FAR that contains a prohibition against RC operations at a full scale airport - and it is done all the time at many airports around the country with full knowledge of the FAA.
The one thing that is not allowed is *closing* an airport to full-scale traffic for a non-aviation event. The FAA policy is that RC flying is, in fact, a non-aviation event, so if an airport receives federal money, it can not close for RC operations. At many airports where there is a sanctioned event, it is held on a closed runway, but the other runways remain open to full scale traffic - that is allowed. If its a single runway airport, then RC operations must give way to full-scale operations at all times.
To threaten an airport operator with fines or shutdown due to RC operations is way above and beyond what in my experience (which is fairly extensive on this subject) is typical for any FAA person so it does call the airport owner's statement into question.
BTW, we fly RC at a full-scale, dual use (county airport and National Guard airfield) with an operating control tower. The FAA controllers in the tower let us know when the field is not being actively used by the military and often ask us to come out more often so that they have something to watch on those long days when nobody is there...
Bob