I just had to get involved in this one. Sorry. I'm an Air Traffic Controller. As long as you notify the proper athorities you will be fine. Don't try to contact the control tower. That is bad news. The last thing on our minds are R/C airplanes. Notify Airfield management if you are flying beside an airport and they will handle it from there. Like Hag said, most small municipal facilities don't have radar. Even if they did, the target on an R/C airplane is so small, they probably won't even pick it up. They mostly have a control tower, if it is controlled airspace. Everything is VFR (Visual Flight Rules) In other words, "see and be seen." Contacting the control tower is a very bad idea and most of the time, there isn't a direct line to them anyways. When is the last time you went to the airport and asked to speak to the Air Traffic Controller on duty? I'm sorry if I offended anybody. Hey Hag, are you guys hiring? J/K Have a good one!
ORIGINAL: hag
As far as I know there is no "ruling" banning RC aircraft within 3 mi of any airport, but there may be local laws concerning specific fields. Many airports are owned by the cities or counties they serve, and make up their own rules as necessary. The feds don't usually get involved. As for most airports having radar, well, that's not true. Most airports in the US don't even have control towers, let alone radar. I'm the airport FBO owner here at Oroville Municipal in Oroville, CA and we not only allow RC and control line flying, we encourage it. A really great land/water flying site is operated by the Oroville Air Corps just about two miles away. No problems ever. About 20 miles north of here is Chico muni, and they have a tower, but no radar. They have an RC field right outside the airport fence, in clear view of the control tower. They certainly have altitude and safety rules, but have peacefully coexisted this way for years.
Hag