Definition
An unmanned aircraft that is flown within visual line of sight of the operator, weighs no more than 55 pounds (unless certified through a community-based organization safety program), and is flown strictly for hobby or recreational purposes — not for business or compensation.
Plain English
A small unmanned aircraft flown for fun, kept in sight of the person flying it, and not used for any kind of work or pay.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA discussions of unmanned aircraft, recreational flying, and how small remote-controlled aircraft share airspace with other aircraft.
Derivation
Model comes from an older word meaning a small copy or pattern of something. That helps here because a model aircraft is often a smaller version of an airplane, but in FAA use it still matters because it actually flies.
Why Pilots Care
Model aircraft share low-altitude airspace with manned aircraft and can create collision hazards near airports or practice areas if their operators do not follow the rules.
Grounding Statement
A model aircraft may be flown for fun, but once it is in the air, pilots should treat it as a real object sharing the sky.
Intuition Check
Do not assume model aircraft means a toy sitting on a shelf. In this FAA context, it means an unmanned aircraft that is actually flying.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot checked the airport notices for any model aircraft activity reported near the traffic pattern.
Example Sentence 2
Before departing, the flight instructor reminded the student to watch for model aircraft operating at the nearby recreational field.