Approach Vis question

[Carl_Spackler]

It is my understanding that you may start an approach with less that the required visibility for the approach as long as the visibility improves prior to reaching the FAF or starting the final approach segment.

I'm studying a recurrent packet and it seems to indicate that you cannot even start an approach unless you have the required visibility.

Any input?

 

[Lead Sled]

What does your ops manual say?

 

[RedEye1]

What airline do you fly for?

 

[Carl_Spackler]

Pinnacle, FOM doesn't have any guidance.... that I've seen.

 

[zugzug]

Carl

I seem to have misplaced my recurrent packet do you have it?

 

[Carl_Spackler]

?????

 

[zugzug]

Ahhh

With your experience.... This is the question?

 

[Carl_Spackler]

Zug, either I'm wrong or the information that I'm getting is wrong, do you have any input or not? What say you?

 

[zugzug]

Carl

I don't know what Pinn says.... PM me the book and I'll look it up. If not, you can't do the approach if the weather is below mins (vis) for the type of appraoch 121, part 91 is peek-a-boo.

 

[Carl_Spackler]

I'm talking about "starting" an approach vs. continuing past the FAF.

121.651 indicates that you can start the approach, but the vis must increase prior to crossing the FAF.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no pilot may continue an approach past the final approach fix, or where a final approach fix is not used, begin the final approach segment of an instrument approach procedure—

2) At airports within the United States and its territories or at U.S. military airports, unless the latest weather report for that airport issued by the U.S. National Weather Service, a source approved by that Service, or a source approved by the Administrator, reports the visibility to be equal to or more than the visibility minimums prescribed for that procedure. For the purpose of this section, the term “U.S. military airports” means airports in foreign countries where flight operations are under the control of U.S. military authority.

I found the reference in our FOM also, now just trying to figure out why is says or implies different in the study packet.