Narrative:

While being vectored for a non precision approach at lga the visibility was fluctuating between 1 and 5 mi. I had a question about exactly what minimums we were authorized to use based on aircraft category, approach and runway lights available. We fly several different aircraft models of the same type with different weights and have just undergone a merger with another airline resulting in major operating specification changes. I found a chart in manual which indicates that we were able to shoot the approach with the current reported visibility but I wasn't sure that there wasn't more information that I couldn't find. As we approached the final approach fix at about 2000' MSL and 6-7 mi out, we broke out and could see the runway so we didn't have to shoot the approach in order to get in. After landing, I spent more time looking for more information in the manual and couldn't find any. I asked some of the other pilots what they thought/knew about the new operations specifications and got several types of opinions as to whether that chart applied to our situation or not. So the next week I called the training department to ask them. They are researching it and are going to get back to me. Were we in the process of being sucked into shooting an approach when the visibility was reported below minimums or not? I will find out. It would be helpful if these new manuals had a comprehensive index with cross-references so you wouldn't miss anything. Also information detailing changes in operations specifications could be published to highlight these changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR MLG QUESTIONS THE LEGALITY OF AN APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A NON PRECISION APCH AT LGA THE VISIBILITY WAS FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 1 AND 5 MI. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT MINIMUMS WE WERE AUTHORIZED TO USE BASED ON ACFT CATEGORY, APCH AND RWY LIGHTS AVAILABLE. WE FLY SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACFT MODELS OF THE SAME TYPE WITH DIFFERENT WEIGHTS AND HAVE JUST UNDERGONE A MERGER WITH ANOTHER AIRLINE RESULTING IN MAJOR OPERATING SPECIFICATION CHANGES. I FOUND A CHART IN MANUAL WHICH INDICATES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHOOT THE APCH WITH THE CURRENT REPORTED VISIBILITY BUT I WASN'T SURE THAT THERE WASN'T MORE INFO THAT I COULDN'T FIND. AS WE APCHED THE FINAL APCH FIX AT ABOUT 2000' MSL AND 6-7 MI OUT, WE BROKE OUT AND COULD SEE THE RWY SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SHOOT THE APCH IN ORDER TO GET IN. AFTER LNDG, I SPENT MORE TIME LOOKING FOR MORE INFO IN THE MANUAL AND COULDN'T FIND ANY. I ASKED SOME OF THE OTHER PLTS WHAT THEY THOUGHT/KNEW ABOUT THE NEW OPS SPECS AND GOT SEVERAL TYPES OF OPINIONS AS TO WHETHER THAT CHART APPLIED TO OUR SITUATION OR NOT. SO THE NEXT WEEK I CALLED THE TRAINING DEPT TO ASK THEM. THEY ARE RESEARCHING IT AND ARE GOING TO GET BACK TO ME. WERE WE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SUCKED INTO SHOOTING AN APCH WHEN THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED BELOW MINIMUMS OR NOT? I WILL FIND OUT. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THESE NEW MANUALS HAD A COMPREHENSIVE INDEX WITH CROSS-REFERENCES SO YOU WOULDN'T MISS ANYTHING. ALSO INFO DETAILING CHANGES IN OPS SPECS COULD BE PUBLISHED TO HIGHLIGHT THESE CHANGES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.