Narrative:

Taxied out to runway 13 with ATIS calling 300 ft, 1/2 mi. Received a takeoff alternate from dispatch in case of WX deterioration, it came down to 800 ft RVR on touchdown. When we were about #4 in line. We quickly verified runway centerline lights were operational, mid RVR unavailable and rollout RVR (OTS), prevailing visibility was still 1/2 mi on the ATIS. The 3 aircraft ahead (2 acrs) departed while we struggled with the operation specifications to decipher the limitations. With only 1 (touchdown) RVR operational it was surmised that we should revert to prevailing visibility and was 1/2 mi. The regulations allow 66 plus 6 or 6 plus 6 with several variations making the area grey. A solution would be to clarify the regulations using flow charts. Another solution would be to make the tower aware of the absolute minimums for acrs. (600, 600, 600 or 600, T02, 600 rollout) and have them recommend the air carrier not depart if equipment or WX renders an operation below minimums for all acrs. A third solution would be to get a sharp programmer to work with the FAA to interpret far's as they relate to flight operations, the results could be disseminated by the tower, dispatch, ACARS etc. The purpose of the regulations are to enhance safety. A major step towards this goal and reducing violations and incidents resulting from inaccurate interpretation could be accomplished by computerized smart regulations applied to real sits on a real time basis.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC WAS RELUCTANT TO USE 1 RVR AND THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY FOR TKOF MINIMUMS SINCE THE REGS AND THEIR ACR OPERATING SPECS WERE NOT CLR IN THIS AREA.

Narrative: TAXIED OUT TO RWY 13 WITH ATIS CALLING 300 FT, 1/2 MI. RECEIVED A TKOF ALTERNATE FROM DISPATCH IN CASE OF WX DETERIORATION, IT CAME DOWN TO 800 FT RVR ON TOUCHDOWN. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT #4 IN LINE. WE QUICKLY VERIFIED RWY CTRLINE LIGHTS WERE OPERATIONAL, MID RVR UNAVAILABLE AND ROLLOUT RVR (OTS), PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS STILL 1/2 MI ON THE ATIS. THE 3 ACFT AHEAD (2 ACRS) DEPARTED WHILE WE STRUGGLED WITH THE OP SPECS TO DECIPHER THE LIMITATIONS. WITH ONLY 1 (TOUCHDOWN) RVR OPERATIONAL IT WAS SURMISED THAT WE SHOULD REVERT TO PREVAILING VISIBILITY AND WAS 1/2 MI. THE REGS ALLOW 66 PLUS 6 OR 6 PLUS 6 WITH SEVERAL VARIATIONS MAKING THE AREA GREY. A SOLUTION WOULD BE TO CLARIFY THE REGS USING FLOW CHARTS. ANOTHER SOLUTION WOULD BE TO MAKE THE TWR AWARE OF THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUMS FOR ACRS. (600, 600, 600 OR 600, T02, 600 ROLLOUT) AND HAVE THEM RECOMMEND THE ACR NOT DEPART IF EQUIP OR WX RENDERS AN OP BELOW MINIMUMS FOR ALL ACRS. A THIRD SOLUTION WOULD BE TO GET A SHARP PROGRAMMER TO WORK WITH THE FAA TO INTERPRET FAR'S AS THEY RELATE TO FLT OPS, THE RESULTS COULD BE DISSEMINATED BY THE TWR, DISPATCH, ACARS ETC. THE PURPOSE OF THE REGS ARE TO ENHANCE SAFETY. A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS THIS GOAL AND REDUCING VIOLATIONS AND INCIDENTS RESULTING FROM INACCURATE INTERP COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY COMPUTERIZED SMART REGS APPLIED TO REAL SITS ON A REAL TIME BASIS.

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.