Narrative:

While en route geg, WX went down to -X 1/2 F. 25 NM out the RVR dropped to 1600'. We advised approach that RVR of 1800 was required. He asked us of our intentions, and we advised we would like to hold on the localizer and wait for the RVR to come to legal minimums. We were cleared to hold on the localizer at 5000'. The RVR fluctuated between 1200-1600. An large transport was inbound and told to hold at the same fix, and to maintain 700'. The conditions at geg were such that the airport runway and alsf were in sight from the holding pattern, but the transmission meters were reporting the above RVR. Suddenly ATC (approach) reported the RVR was 2000', and they gave us a clearance to shoot the approach. Approach advised us to go to tower. Tower immediately reported RVR 1200, within 45 seconds of it being reported to be RVR 2000 by approach control. Being that we were outside the FAF, we had to break off the approach. Tower cleared us to maintain 5000' and runway heading. Meanwhile, ATC cleared the large transport for the approach behind us. Advised we'd like to return to fca. Departure control gave us a vector of 025 degrees and to climb to 12000'. Departure called large transport traffic at our 2 O'clock, 4 mi--then ATC, after about 30 seconds, realized the possible conflict and vectored us back left to a 300 degree heading. After passing through 7000', ATC vectored us right to 080 degrees to intercept the arwy back to fca. We found it strange that approach control suddenly reported RVR 2000', which allowed us to initiate the approach. Then 30 seconds later the tower controller advised RVR 1200.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT CREW BELIEVES THE GEG APCH CTLR GIVE THEM A VECTOR THAT RESULTED IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION AND QUESTIONS THE RAPID CHANGE IN RVR READINGS.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE GEG, WX WENT DOWN TO -X 1/2 F. 25 NM OUT THE RVR DROPPED TO 1600'. WE ADVISED APCH THAT RVR OF 1800 WAS REQUIRED. HE ASKED US OF OUR INTENTIONS, AND WE ADVISED WE WOULD LIKE TO HOLD ON THE LOC AND WAIT FOR THE RVR TO COME TO LEGAL MINIMUMS. WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD ON THE LOC AT 5000'. THE RVR FLUCTUATED BTWN 1200-1600. AN LGT WAS INBND AND TOLD TO HOLD AT THE SAME FIX, AND TO MAINTAIN 700'. THE CONDITIONS AT GEG WERE SUCH THAT THE ARPT RWY AND ALSF WERE IN SIGHT FROM THE HOLDING PATTERN, BUT THE XMISSION METERS WERE RPTING THE ABOVE RVR. SUDDENLY ATC (APCH) RPTED THE RVR WAS 2000', AND THEY GAVE US A CLRNC TO SHOOT THE APCH. APCH ADVISED US TO GO TO TWR. TWR IMMEDIATELY RPTED RVR 1200, WITHIN 45 SECS OF IT BEING RPTED TO BE RVR 2000 BY APCH CTL. BEING THAT WE WERE OUTSIDE THE FAF, WE HAD TO BREAK OFF THE APCH. TWR CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 5000' AND RWY HDG. MEANWHILE, ATC CLRED THE LGT FOR THE APCH BEHIND US. ADVISED WE'D LIKE TO RETURN TO FCA. DEP CTL GAVE US A VECTOR OF 025 DEGS AND TO CLB TO 12000'. DEP CALLED LGT TFC AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK, 4 MI--THEN ATC, AFTER ABOUT 30 SECS, REALIZED THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT AND VECTORED US BACK LEFT TO A 300 DEG HDG. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 7000', ATC VECTORED US RIGHT TO 080 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE ARWY BACK TO FCA. WE FOUND IT STRANGE THAT APCH CTL SUDDENLY RPTED RVR 2000', WHICH ALLOWED US TO INITIATE THE APCH. THEN 30 SECS LATER THE TWR CTLR ADVISED RVR 1200.

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.