Help me figure out how to make this work

[DrewBlows]

How about this:

TAF has quarter mile in the main body for ETA.
Metar is reporting 1/4 SM, RVR is reporting 2000RVR.

Can you dispatch?

The short answer is maybe, there is not enough information.

Depending on your ops specs you may be able to use a RAMTAF which could show more favorable weather.

Another possibility is to dispatch on the basis of a METAR trend, which some carriers have the ability to do. In your example the METAR shows an RVR (controlling) of 2000'. You didn't say so, but I'm guessing the minimums for this airport are 1800' RVR for a CAT I ILS. In this instance a creative dispatcher using the right ops specs (not every company uses the same ops specs) may be able to dispatch.

 

[Flip]

This is an interesting thread and no BS yet. Wow. There is hope for flightinfo yet.

 

[FlySacto]

I had a similar situation going into SFO. Fog rolled over 28R as we were inside the FAF and under the 2000' overcast and tower said, "RVR 28R now 1000, state intentions". We could see all the way down 28L and requested it and were cleared to land. The fog hit 28L just as we rolled up to Tango. Glad we weren't 30 seconds later on that approach.

I've heard of bust (SMF) when guys landed after the RVR went down below mins when they were inside the FAF and it dropped below mins as they were about to land.

 

[wings421]

Answer - go to the alternate, sit out in the pad, and pull the slot handle...$$$...$$$...

 

[front9]

Does 17R have a Cat II approach?

 

[dispatchguy]

TAF has quarter mile in the main body for ETA.
Metar is reporting 1/4 SM, RVR is reporting 2000RVR.

Yes, you can dispatch. For a short flight, dispatch off of the METAR only. As a previous poster was correct, youre actually dispatching off of the RVR, with the RVR mins at 1800. Carry plenty-o-gas and a solid alternate, but it is legal to dispatch with a quarter mile in the main body in this instant; conditional language in this case is irrelevant - as long as you have above mins in the RVR report in the METAR - have a good flight.

 

[pupilot007]

Not without 3 miles visibility reported.

OK, so if a spider web is covering the sensor, and its clear and a million outside, then its illegal to do the approach?

We all know that if on the approach we see the lights before mins, even if visibility is reported below mins, we are legal to land because the flight visibility is greater than reported.

Does this flight visibility idea count to start an approach as well?

 

[Flyprdu]

Cleared for the Contact Approach, baby!

 

[Taxilight]

How about this:

TAF has quarter mile in the main body for ETA.
Metar is reporting 1/4 SM, RVR is reporting 2000RVR.

Can you dispatch?

Depends on the approach mins. Trends do not carry weight with the FAA. No-go on 3585 since it's below in the TAF main body.

121.613 Wx reports and forecast, or any combination thereof, indicate that the weather conditions will be at or above the auth. minimums (Ceiling and Vis) at the time of arrival.

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Cleared for the Contact Approach, baby!

Exactly, ask for the contact approach. (Dang Boilermaker beat me to it.)

 

[V-1]

How many 121 operators actually allow contact approaches?

Useful tool when flying freight under 135 though. I used them a lot.

 

[twinbeech]

I don't believe that a contact is legal under 121 is it? I know that it wasn't at my old freight dog haunt nor at my current airline. You are right though, the contact would be the only way I could think of to make it work.

 

[regionalcap]

OK, so if a spider web is covering the sensor, and its clear and a million outside, then its illegal to do the approach?

We all know that if on the approach we see the lights before mins, even if visibility is reported below mins, we are legal to land because the flight visibility is greater than reported.

Does this flight visibility idea count to start an approach as well?

Flight visibility does not count to start an approach.

 

[vectorvictor]

Does it? I thought the main body had to be above mins and ONLY the conditional language could be below.

You are right. 1/4 at the ETA in main body excludes exemption 3585.

 

[dispatchguy]

Since RVR controls for runways on which it is installed, and on short flights, you can dispatch off of the METAR.

I saw this in ORD this past october. 1/4SM in Fog, but the RVR for 14R was reported at 2000 (CAT I ILS mins for 14R are RVR 18 with all the lights). The TAF mainbody was 1/4SM for most of the morning. DXRs were dispatching off of the METAR for the short-haul flights (long haul flights off of the NWS TAF were not moving). Everyone was getting in with standard ILS; no contact approaches.

Correct, no 3585, and no high-mins captains.