Narrative:

As we approached ord from ewr we were advised that the RVR was 800-1000'. Normally we are a category 3 aircraft (minimum RVR 600'), but since our maintenance release document stated that we needed an airborne check of our marker beacons (due to the previous night's maintenance), we were dispatched as a category 1 aircraft with RVR minimums of 1800'. We held for the better part of an hour while the RVR stabilized at 1200'. All the other aircraft were shooting approachs into ord because air carrier a and air carrier B operate at category 2 or better. We were about to give up and go to our alternate of mke after talking with our dispatch, but I decided to contact our maintenance controller out in sfo. Over arinc I got a phone patch to our maintenance controller and dispatch. We all mutually decided, based on our maintenance controller's opinion, that we did not need a marker beacon airborne check and were indeed a category 2 aircraft. I was uncomfortable with that decision, because I felt that our maintenance people based their decision on the fact that they did not want us to divert and cost the company money. We conducted the ILS approach at ord with a reported RVR of 1200' (our new minimums) and the OM beacon was very, very weak. We did not receive the middle or inner markers at all. Obviously we were illegal in conducting that approach because we had inoperative middle and inner marker beacons and they are required for the approach. I feel I should have advocated my position stronger, but I think my captain, as well as dispatch and maintenance, would have put a lot of pressure on me to give in. Next time I will speak my mind and feelings. It is my license on the line, too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT MAKES BELOW MINIMUMS APCH AND LNDG AT ORD.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED ORD FROM EWR WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE RVR WAS 800-1000'. NORMALLY WE ARE A CATEGORY 3 ACFT (MINIMUM RVR 600'), BUT SINCE OUR MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT STATED THAT WE NEEDED AN AIRBORNE CHK OF OUR MARKER BEACONS (DUE TO THE PREVIOUS NIGHT'S MAINT), WE WERE DISPATCHED AS A CATEGORY 1 ACFT WITH RVR MINIMUMS OF 1800'. WE HELD FOR THE BETTER PART OF AN HR WHILE THE RVR STABILIZED AT 1200'. ALL THE OTHER ACFT WERE SHOOTING APCHS INTO ORD BECAUSE ACR A AND ACR B OPERATE AT CATEGORY 2 OR BETTER. WE WERE ABOUT TO GIVE UP AND GO TO OUR ALTERNATE OF MKE AFTER TALKING WITH OUR DISPATCH, BUT I DECIDED TO CONTACT OUR MAINT CTLR OUT IN SFO. OVER ARINC I GOT A PHONE PATCH TO OUR MAINT CTLR AND DISPATCH. WE ALL MUTUALLY DECIDED, BASED ON OUR MAINT CTLR'S OPINION, THAT WE DID NOT NEED A MARKER BEACON AIRBORNE CHK AND WERE INDEED A CATEGORY 2 ACFT. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT DECISION, BECAUSE I FELT THAT OUR MAINT PEOPLE BASED THEIR DECISION ON THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT WANT US TO DIVERT AND COST THE COMPANY MONEY. WE CONDUCTED THE ILS APCH AT ORD WITH A RPTED RVR OF 1200' (OUR NEW MINIMUMS) AND THE OM BEACON WAS VERY, VERY WEAK. WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE MIDDLE OR INNER MARKERS AT ALL. OBVIOUSLY WE WERE ILLEGAL IN CONDUCTING THAT APCH BECAUSE WE HAD INOP MIDDLE AND INNER MARKER BEACONS AND THEY ARE REQUIRED FOR THE APCH. I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE ADVOCATED MY POS STRONGER, BUT I THINK MY CAPT, AS WELL AS DISPATCH AND MAINT, WOULD HAVE PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON ME TO GIVE IN. NEXT TIME I WILL SPEAK MY MIND AND FEELINGS. IT IS MY LICENSE ON THE LINE, TOO.

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.