Narrative:

Confusion based on what tower described as tower visibility being 1 mi and runway 23 at tri-city RVR being 5000+' and rollout 800'. The runway length is 7999'. We based our decision upon our operating specifications and what tower reported. The contributing factor to the situation was fog. We delayed the flight 25 mins based on WX being lower than our operating specifications of 1200 RVR touchdown 1000' rollout. However, in our specifications it notes the conditions in which we can use those RVR's. Enclosed is a list of conditions. Note paragraph 'a.' conditions 1600 RVR with the list of situations. It was our decision that we met the conditions of paragraph 'a' of our lower than standard operations. Plus, the reported prevailing visibility was 1 mi better than standard for 2-ENG takeoff. It is our conclusion that our actions were sound and the interests of safety were met and applied in accordance with the far's and our operating specifications. Our intent in this report is to show the gray area in the reported RVR, visibility, and what our specifications allow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTERS COMPLAIN ABOUT CONFUSING OPERATIONS SPECIFICATIONS REGARDING RVR.

Narrative: CONFUSION BASED ON WHAT TWR DESCRIBED AS TWR VIS BEING 1 MI AND RWY 23 AT TRI-CITY RVR BEING 5000+' AND ROLLOUT 800'. THE RWY LENGTH IS 7999'. WE BASED OUR DECISION UPON OUR OPERATING SPECS AND WHAT TWR RPTED. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE SITUATION WAS FOG. WE DELAYED THE FLT 25 MINS BASED ON WX BEING LOWER THAN OUR OPERATING SPECS OF 1200 RVR TOUCHDOWN 1000' ROLLOUT. HOWEVER, IN OUR SPECS IT NOTES THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE CAN USE THOSE RVR'S. ENCLOSED IS A LIST OF CONDITIONS. NOTE PARAGRAPH 'A.' CONDITIONS 1600 RVR WITH THE LIST OF SITUATIONS. IT WAS OUR DECISION THAT WE MET THE CONDITIONS OF PARAGRAPH 'A' OF OUR LOWER THAN STANDARD OPERATIONS. PLUS, THE RPTED PREVAILING VIS WAS 1 MI BETTER THAN STANDARD FOR 2-ENG TKOF. IT IS OUR CONCLUSION THAT OUR ACTIONS WERE SOUND AND THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY WERE MET AND APPLIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FAR'S AND OUR OPERATING SPECS. OUR INTENT IN THIS RPT IS TO SHOW THE GRAY AREA IN THE RPTED RVR, VIS, AND WHAT OUR SPECS ALLOW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.