Narrative:

I thought that we could depart down to 600' RVR. If it was below landing minimums we needed a takeoff alternate. The first officer pointed out the takeoff minimums on the back side of the airport diagram page. When he mentioned that, I remembered from captain development school that there was something we don't use on that page. The 600 RVR takeoff is practiced every pc/pt and we get a takeoff alternate to be legal. I am researching the procedure now but suspect the rule is down to 600 RVR but not less than published takeoff minimums and a takeoff alternate is required if below landing minimums. I'll educate myself via chief pilots office. My suggestion is to include this point when training for 600 RVR takeoffs and to remove all the nonapplicable items off the commercial airport page. According to my base chief pilot, the operations specification takes priority over the commercial airport page. It allows lower than standard takeoff minimums based on runway centerline lighting and markings, runway side lights F(HIRL), and individual RVR reports. To use this criteria you have to pull out operations specifications, read carefully and ask tower what each RVR is reading and confirm the type of lighting installed and operating. This information was not covered in my simulator and recurrent training. I will inform the association training committee at my airline. Supplemental information from acn 161723. I pointed out that the back of page 10-9 said we needed 1600 RVR and that the tower said we only had 1000 RVR. The captain said he thought that block did not apply to us because he remembered them pointing this out to him in captain upgrade and that he would show me in the fom where our company policy exempted us from this. I said I thought it applied to us but I was willing to depart based on his knowledge gained in upgrade. After takeoff and at cruise we discussed it further, he reviewed the fom and then agreed that I was probably right.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TKOF IN WX REPORTED BELOW ARPT TKOF MINIMUMS.

Narrative: I THOUGHT THAT WE COULD DEPART DOWN TO 600' RVR. IF IT WAS BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS WE NEEDED A TKOF ALTERNATE. THE F/O POINTED OUT THE TKOF MINIMUMS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE ARPT DIAGRAM PAGE. WHEN HE MENTIONED THAT, I REMEMBERED FROM CAPT DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WE DON'T USE ON THAT PAGE. THE 600 RVR TKOF IS PRACTICED EVERY PC/PT AND WE GET A TKOF ALTERNATE TO BE LEGAL. I AM RESEARCHING THE PROC NOW BUT SUSPECT THE RULE IS DOWN TO 600 RVR BUT NOT LESS THAN PUBLISHED TKOF MINIMUMS AND A TKOF ALTERNATE IS REQUIRED IF BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS. I'LL EDUCATE MYSELF VIA CHIEF PLTS OFFICE. MY SUGGESTION IS TO INCLUDE THIS POINT WHEN TRNING FOR 600 RVR TKOFS AND TO REMOVE ALL THE NONAPPLICABLE ITEMS OFF THE COMMERCIAL ARPT PAGE. ACCORDING TO MY BASE CHIEF PLT, THE OPS SPECIFICATION TAKES PRIORITY OVER THE COMMERCIAL ARPT PAGE. IT ALLOWS LOWER THAN STANDARD TKOF MINIMUMS BASED ON RWY CTRLINE LIGHTING AND MARKINGS, RWY SIDE LIGHTS F(HIRL), AND INDIVIDUAL RVR RPTS. TO USE THIS CRITERIA YOU HAVE TO PULL OUT OPS SPECS, READ CAREFULLY AND ASK TWR WHAT EACH RVR IS READING AND CONFIRM THE TYPE OF LIGHTING INSTALLED AND OPERATING. THIS INFO WAS NOT COVERED IN MY SIMULATOR AND RECURRENT TRNING. I WILL INFORM THE ASSOCIATION TRNING COMMITTEE AT MY AIRLINE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 161723. I POINTED OUT THAT THE BACK OF PAGE 10-9 SAID WE NEEDED 1600 RVR AND THAT THE TWR SAID WE ONLY HAD 1000 RVR. THE CAPT SAID HE THOUGHT THAT BLOCK DID NOT APPLY TO US BECAUSE HE REMEMBERED THEM POINTING THIS OUT TO HIM IN CAPT UPGRADE AND THAT HE WOULD SHOW ME IN THE FOM WHERE OUR COMPANY POLICY EXEMPTED US FROM THIS. I SAID I THOUGHT IT APPLIED TO US BUT I WAS WILLING TO DEPART BASED ON HIS KNOWLEDGE GAINED IN UPGRADE. AFTER TKOF AND AT CRUISE WE DISCUSSED IT FURTHER, HE REVIEWED THE FOM AND THEN AGREED THAT I WAS PROBABLY RIGHT.

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.