Narrative:

Approaching boston the ATIS gave a lowest cloud deck of scattered at 1200 ft and visibility was not a problem. We were cleared to hold at scuff and we held for approximately 15 mins. We were radar vectored for approach to ILS runway 22L. As we turned onto final the tower gave an RVR of 5500 ft, which is below the minimum of 6000 ft. We asked to be informed if RVR improved. Tower said that previous aircraft had lights at 600 ft plus. At minima of 420 ft we were above a solid cloud layer and made a missed approach. We were above 1500 ft before we could get into congested frequency to tell tower we had overshot. The runway was now changed to runway 4R and we made an approach. The RVR was 2500 ft and we broke out at our minima of 218 ft. While the wind was calm at touchdown, on approach we had a tailwind of over 30 KTS. Approach wanted us to maintain 190 KTS to the OM. My purpose in writing is to highlight what I perceive as a foolish and unprofessional desire to keep as high a movement rate as possible. Both ATC and pilots collude in this. At no stage was the WX reported properly and an airfield that was marginal CAT 1 was operated at a high movement rate. This all erodes safety margins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT RPTR POINTS OUT HAZARDOUS AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES BY BOS IN ORDER TO KEEP AIR TFC MOVING IN QUESTIONABLE WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: APCHING BOSTON THE ATIS GAVE A LOWEST CLOUD DECK OF SCATTERED AT 1200 FT AND VISIBILITY WAS NOT A PROB. WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD AT SCUFF AND WE HELD FOR APPROX 15 MINS. WE WERE RADAR VECTORED FOR APCH TO ILS RWY 22L. AS WE TURNED ONTO FINAL THE TWR GAVE AN RVR OF 5500 FT, WHICH IS BELOW THE MINIMUM OF 6000 FT. WE ASKED TO BE INFORMED IF RVR IMPROVED. TWR SAID THAT PREVIOUS ACFT HAD LIGHTS AT 600 FT PLUS. AT MINIMA OF 420 FT WE WERE ABOVE A SOLID CLOUD LAYER AND MADE A MISSED APCH. WE WERE ABOVE 1500 FT BEFORE WE COULD GET INTO CONGESTED FREQ TO TELL TWR WE HAD OVERSHOT. THE RWY WAS NOW CHANGED TO RWY 4R AND WE MADE AN APCH. THE RVR WAS 2500 FT AND WE BROKE OUT AT OUR MINIMA OF 218 FT. WHILE THE WIND WAS CALM AT TOUCHDOWN, ON APCH WE HAD A TAILWIND OF OVER 30 KTS. APCH WANTED US TO MAINTAIN 190 KTS TO THE OM. MY PURPOSE IN WRITING IS TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT I PERCEIVE AS A FOOLISH AND UNPROFESSIONAL DESIRE TO KEEP AS HIGH A MOVEMENT RATE AS POSSIBLE. BOTH ATC AND PLTS COLLUDE IN THIS. AT NO STAGE WAS THE WX RPTED PROPERLY AND AN AIRFIELD THAT WAS MARGINAL CAT 1 WAS OPERATED AT A HIGH MOVEMENT RATE. THIS ALL ERODES SAFETY MARGINS.

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.