A B737-300 was reported to have poor visibility in rain with the rain repellent system removed.

Attributes
ACN	372720
Time
Date	199706
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyz
State Reference	ON
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yyz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
ASRS Report	372720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach to landing runway at yyz in rain, we had only windshield wipers. The company has taken out the rain repellent. Without rain repellent it is difficult to see runway and judge altitude. Depth perception is diminished greatly when using windshield wipers only.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS RPTED TO HAVE POOR VISIBILITY IN RAIN WITH THE RAIN REPELLENT SYS REMOVED.

Narrative: ON APCH TO LNDG RWY AT YYZ IN RAIN, WE HAD ONLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN OUT THE RAIN REPELLENT. WITHOUT RAIN REPELLENT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE RWY AND JUDGE ALT. DEPTH PERCEPTION IS DIMINISHED GREATLY WHEN USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY.

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.