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Old 13th Jun 2020, 13:12
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safetypee
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
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SL, the assumption that fog has a uniform distribution would be ill-founded.

Fog has many different structures, particularly variations between forming and dispersing.

Stratiform cloud-like 'onion layers' in compression (forming) with significant vertical variation in visibility in each layer. Alternatively 'pork-pie', mini cumulus with Horizontal variation in visibility and ambient light levels during dispersal.

A critical time for variable fog structure in wet fog is around Cat 2 RVRs, where a 'land' decision above DH can turnout to be poorly judged. Whereas Cat 3 RVRs are more likely to be a stable fog with little variability.

Then there is a range of visibility distributions associated with different particles; wet / dry cloud, snow - type or rate of snowfall, dust, smoke, etc.

RVR originated from extensive research into these areas and is a compromise between what can be measured accurately, and the pilots need for slant visual range - what might be seen at different heights.

Last edited by safetypee; 13th Jun 2020 at 16:54.
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