A PILOT mistook a model plane climbing rapidly towards him for a real aircraft in the distance

The airman said he was flying over Chalgrove at 1,500 feet on his way back to RAF Benson, near Wallingford, when he was "surprised" to see another aircraft hurtling up into the sky.

In a report to the UK Airprox Board – which monitors near-misses – the tutor pilot said he initially thought it was a real aircraft flying about two miles from him.

But he admitted he quickly realised it was a model plane, less than half a mile away, being operated by someone in a field below.

The report said: "He was surprised to see a Hawk (or possibly a Hunter) in a rapid vertical climb in front of him.

"For a moment he thought it was a real aircraft at a range of 2nm (nautical miles), but quickly realised it was a model at a range of half a mile."

The pilot said the model plane completed a stall turn then descended, and he waggled his wings to make the operator aware of his presence.

Although he said the model was not a danger to him, he believed the operator was using it in an inappropriate location at the time of the incident on February 12.

The report stated: "The tutor pilot noted that whilst there was no immediate danger of a collision, given the speed of the model, it had surprised him and he felt it was being operated in an inappropriate location."

The incident is still being reviewed by the safety team at RAF Benson and it has been publicised to other pilots to let them know about the potential conflict with a model aircraft in the area.

Model planes weighing more than 7kg are not allowed to fly above 400ft, but operators using lighter models must be able to keep direct and unaided visual of their planes.