Narrative:

Simultaneous opposing VFR approachs to parallel runway with light rainshowers restricting visibility with other aircraft and the runway. Events: our aircraft routed for a VFR landing on runway 26R. Traffic was heavy, radio was busy. Clearance was to 8000', traffic 2 mi, 12 O'clock turning west for runway 26L from the south. Could not identify contact as we were told it was a widebody transport. We were passing 8500' at the time. Due to no contact, our clearance was to turn west, parallel traffic which was 11 O'clock, 1 mi. During search for aircraft, our altitude hit 7700', added power and climbed to 8000'. Finally saw our traffic (an medium large transport) and received clearance to descend for landing. No deviations necessary. Suggestion: I appreciate the traffic problems at den and the need for an expedited flow, but approach has a tendency to push the VFR concept to the limit to maintain this flow. Our attention was more focused on the pending traffic than our altitude. A suggestion might be, in the case of reduced visibility in the staging area of VFR approachs to runway 26L/26R, den consider ILS 26L approachs, side step runway 26R when through the restr visibility. Den approach knew the visibility was restr outside the marker for runway 26. When conditions do arise, as they frequently do, that restricts visibility, approach or the tower should ask arriving aircraft what the restriction is and modify their procedures for the condition, not press on and hope the restricting condition will go away.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL APCHS TO PARALLEL RWYS IN MARGINAL VFR WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: SIMULTANEOUS OPPOSING VFR APCHS TO PARALLEL RWY WITH LIGHT RAINSHOWERS RESTRICTING VIS WITH OTHER ACFT AND THE RWY. EVENTS: OUR ACFT ROUTED FOR A VFR LNDG ON RWY 26R. TFC WAS HEAVY, RADIO WAS BUSY. CLRNC WAS TO 8000', TFC 2 MI, 12 O'CLOCK TURNING W FOR RWY 26L FROM THE S. COULD NOT IDENT CONTACT AS WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A WDB. WE WERE PASSING 8500' AT THE TIME. DUE TO NO CONTACT, OUR CLRNC WAS TO TURN W, PARALLEL TFC WHICH WAS 11 O'CLOCK, 1 MI. DURING SEARCH FOR ACFT, OUR ALT HIT 7700', ADDED PWR AND CLBED TO 8000'. FINALLY SAW OUR TFC (AN MLG) AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND FOR LNDG. NO DEVIATIONS NECESSARY. SUGGESTION: I APPRECIATE THE TFC PROBS AT DEN AND THE NEED FOR AN EXPEDITED FLOW, BUT APCH HAS A TENDENCY TO PUSH THE VFR CONCEPT TO THE LIMIT TO MAINTAIN THIS FLOW. OUR ATTN WAS MORE FOCUSED ON THE PENDING TFC THAN OUR ALT. A SUGGESTION MIGHT BE, IN THE CASE OF REDUCED VIS IN THE STAGING AREA OF VFR APCHS TO RWY 26L/26R, DEN CONSIDER ILS 26L APCHS, SIDE STEP RWY 26R WHEN THROUGH THE RESTR VIS. DEN APCH KNEW THE VIS WAS RESTR OUTSIDE THE MARKER FOR RWY 26. WHEN CONDITIONS DO ARISE, AS THEY FREQUENTLY DO, THAT RESTRICTS VIS, APCH OR THE TWR SHOULD ASK ARRIVING ACFT WHAT THE RESTRICTION IS AND MODIFY THEIR PROCS FOR THE CONDITION, NOT PRESS ON AND HOPE THE RESTRICTING CONDITION WILL GO AWAY.

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.