Narrative:

The morning of nov/thu/02 had a lot of wide spread IFR across the east coast. This morning we operated a B727 from ewr to bos, then on to pwm. Since the pwm was forecasted to be 2 1/2 SM fog, I tuned up the pwm ASOS as we approached bos. The ASOS report said 'visibility missing.' I announced this to the captain -- it did not register. As we sat on the ground in bos, I mentioned it again -- it did not seem to make a difference. Before we left bos, we had a fresh WX package in hand, and it had a pwm WX report that included a visibility report, and I concluded in my own mind that we were legal to take off on this short trip. En route to pwm, again ASOS said the visibility was missing. I was the PF and the captain responded by asking ZBW for the pwm WX. I heard them read what I still think was a report that was 20 mins old that reported 7 mi visibility at pwm. I concluded in my mind that we had a good, current WX observation. At dinner that night on nov/thu/02, the captain had called company flight standards and told me that the report ZBW read was an old report (I lack confidence in this, but it may be true) and that company flight standards didn't like the fact that we shot an ILS without a current WX report. I have concluded that they didn't like it, because it's illegal. Reference far 121.651 'no pilot may begin the final approach segment unless WX reports indicate visibility to be more than visibility minimums required for the approach.' if we had an old WX report, current WX did not indicate visibility at all. We could not have legally shot the ILS at pwm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FO IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF AN APCH TO PWM WITH A WX RPT 20 MINS OLD.

Narrative: THE MORNING OF NOV/THU/02 HAD A LOT OF WIDE SPREAD IFR ACROSS THE EAST COAST. THIS MORNING WE OPERATED A B727 FROM EWR TO BOS, THEN ON TO PWM. SINCE THE PWM WAS FORECASTED TO BE 2 1/2 SM FOG, I TUNED UP THE PWM ASOS AS WE APCHED BOS. THE ASOS RPT SAID 'VISIBILITY MISSING.' I ANNOUNCED THIS TO THE CAPT -- IT DID NOT REGISTER. AS WE SAT ON THE GND IN BOS, I MENTIONED IT AGAIN -- IT DID NOT SEEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BEFORE WE LEFT BOS, WE HAD A FRESH WX PACKAGE IN HAND, AND IT HAD A PWM WX RPT THAT INCLUDED A VISIBILITY RPT, AND I CONCLUDED IN MY OWN MIND THAT WE WERE LEGAL TO TAKE OFF ON THIS SHORT TRIP. ENRTE TO PWM, AGAIN ASOS SAID THE VISIBILITY WAS MISSING. I WAS THE PF AND THE CAPT RESPONDED BY ASKING ZBW FOR THE PWM WX. I HEARD THEM READ WHAT I STILL THINK WAS A RPT THAT WAS 20 MINS OLD THAT RPTED 7 MI VISIBILITY AT PWM. I CONCLUDED IN MY MIND THAT WE HAD A GOOD, CURRENT WX OBSERVATION. AT DINNER THAT NIGHT ON NOV/THU/02, THE CAPT HAD CALLED COMPANY FLT STANDARDS AND TOLD ME THAT THE RPT ZBW READ WAS AN OLD RPT (I LACK CONFIDENCE IN THIS, BUT IT MAY BE TRUE) AND THAT COMPANY FLT STANDARDS DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE SHOT AN ILS WITHOUT A CURRENT WX RPT. I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT, BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL. REF FAR 121.651 'NO PLT MAY BEGIN THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT UNLESS WX RPTS INDICATE VISIBILITY TO BE MORE THAN VISIBILITY MINIMUMS REQUIRED FOR THE APCH.' IF WE HAD AN OLD WX RPT, CURRENT WX DID NOT INDICATE VISIBILITY AT ALL. WE COULD NOT HAVE LEGALLY SHOT THE ILS AT PWM.

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.