First officer expresses confusion about visibility minimums when operating a ferry flight.

Attributes
ACN	104646
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5006 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	104646
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While approaching lax, several ATC advisories told us that fog conditions at lax were making visibility go from more than a mi to 0 visibility and back to over a mi again over a period of several mins. Crew discussion revealed a lack of understanding in the cockpit about whether RVR minimums or only visibility minima applied to our ferry flight. It was determined that flight visibility at decision ht was the determining criteria for landing. RVR just prior to FAF was reported as 6000' approach end 6000+' midfield and 600' rollout. Visibility at DH was greater than 1/2 mi. The runway, approach light system, cl runway lights, red terminating bars and threshold markings were all visible and an uneventful landing was accomplished. Discussion prior to takeoff about applicable far's and takeoff and landing minimums for ferry flts (and all flts) would alleviate any confusion during final phases of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO EXPRESSES CONFUSION ABOUT VISIBILITY MINIMUMS WHEN OPERATING A FERRY FLT.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING LAX, SEVERAL ATC ADVISORIES TOLD US THAT FOG CONDITIONS AT LAX WERE MAKING VISIBILITY GO FROM MORE THAN A MI TO 0 VISIBILITY AND BACK TO OVER A MI AGAIN OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MINS. CREW DISCUSSION REVEALED A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING IN THE COCKPIT ABOUT WHETHER RVR MINIMUMS OR ONLY VISIBILITY MINIMA APPLIED TO OUR FERRY FLT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FLT VISIBILITY AT DECISION HT WAS THE DETERMINING CRITERIA FOR LNDG. RVR JUST PRIOR TO FAF WAS RPTED AS 6000' APCH END 6000+' MIDFIELD AND 600' ROLLOUT. VISIBILITY AT DH WAS GREATER THAN 1/2 MI. THE RWY, APCH LIGHT SYS, CL RWY LIGHTS, RED TERMINATING BARS AND THRESHOLD MARKINGS WERE ALL VISIBLE AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. DISCUSSION PRIOR TO TKOF ABOUT APPLICABLE FAR'S AND TKOF AND LNDG MINIMUMS FOR FERRY FLTS (AND ALL FLTS) WOULD ALLEVIATE ANY CONFUSION DURING FINAL PHASES OF FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.