Narrative:

As a new captain in the aircraft with less than 100 hours in type airport visibility went to 3/4 mi on the last sequence. I called dispatch and informed him that we (flight sba to lax) would not be able to depart because of my 'baby' captain status requiring 1 mi visibility. At the time we were looking in the operation specifications and could not find the far or reference for the language of 1 statute mi required for takeoff. But from recollection we (me and the first officer) and some other pilot were sure I had to have 1 mi to takeoff. When dispatch came on the phone he was positive that there were no restrs on 'takeoff -- just landing. We went over this last week -- only restrs were on landing, add 100 ft to MDA/decision ht and 1/2 mi to minimums for approach.' seeing how I could not find the reference to takeoff restrs in operation specifications and FARS we departed with a full airplane to lax -- 31 people (including a jumpseat observer). Made an uneventful flight. 2 legs later called dispatch and he said 'you were right you do need 1 mi for takeoff. Sorry.' I was really mad. I called, looked it up and did everything possible not to violate this far but it happened. Under the pressure of time and takeoff guidelines for new capts, it is easy to violate these FARS. The company needs to have real dispatchers that know what the guidelines are.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW CAPT BELIEVES THERE ARE FLT MINIMUMS DIFFERENT THAN PUBLISHED FOR HIS DEP. DISPATCH DISAGREES AND FLT DEPARTS. DISPATCH LATER APOLOGIZES FOR HIS ERROR.

Narrative: AS A NEW CAPT IN THE ACFT WITH LESS THAN 100 HRS IN TYPE ARPT VISIBILITY WENT TO 3/4 MI ON THE LAST SEQUENCE. I CALLED DISPATCH AND INFORMED HIM THAT WE (FLT SBA TO LAX) WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEPART BECAUSE OF MY 'BABY' CAPT STATUS REQUIRING 1 MI VISIBILITY. AT THE TIME WE WERE LOOKING IN THE OP SPECS AND COULD NOT FIND THE FAR OR REF FOR THE LANGUAGE OF 1 STATUTE MI REQUIRED FOR TKOF. BUT FROM RECOLLECTION WE (ME AND THE FO) AND SOME OTHER PLT WERE SURE I HAD TO HAVE 1 MI TO TKOF. WHEN DISPATCH CAME ON THE PHONE HE WAS POSITIVE THAT THERE WERE NO RESTRS ON 'TKOF -- JUST LNDG. WE WENT OVER THIS LAST WK -- ONLY RESTRS WERE ON LNDG, ADD 100 FT TO MDA/DECISION HT AND 1/2 MI TO MINIMUMS FOR APCH.' SEEING HOW I COULD NOT FIND THE REF TO TKOF RESTRS IN OP SPECS AND FARS WE DEPARTED WITH A FULL AIRPLANE TO LAX -- 31 PEOPLE (INCLUDING A JUMPSEAT OBSERVER). MADE AN UNEVENTFUL FLT. 2 LEGS LATER CALLED DISPATCH AND HE SAID 'YOU WERE RIGHT YOU DO NEED 1 MI FOR TKOF. SORRY.' I WAS REALLY MAD. I CALLED, LOOKED IT UP AND DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE NOT TO VIOLATE THIS FAR BUT IT HAPPENED. UNDER THE PRESSURE OF TIME AND TKOF GUIDELINES FOR NEW CAPTS, IT IS EASY TO VIOLATE THESE FARS. THE COMPANY NEEDS TO HAVE REAL DISPATCHERS THAT KNOW WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE.

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.