UK (civil) ATC absolute minima procedure
Has anyone reading this post been made aware of the UK CAA ATC Absolute Minima procedure on the RTF or heard of it elsewhere? It's been enshrined in MATS Part 1 (the UK CAA ATC manual for all civil ATCOs) for a couple of years now but very few commercial pilots that I've spoken to know anything about it.
The procedure is intended as a safety-net to stop pilots making approaches in very poor weather. It does not apply to approaches to runways that are equippped with a Cat 2/3 ILS. It does not give ATC the right to impose an approach-ban either, since the final responsibility rests firmly with the pilot.
Basically, regardless of what your Ops Manual says, if you commence an approach (definition: when you first accept radar vectors or leave the holding facility) and the RVR is below the published absolute minima for that approach aid, ATC have to warn you that you may be contravening UK legislation by continuing the approach and they will file an MOR if you then descend below 1000ft aal, when the RVR is still below that absolute minima figure.
It makes no allowance for what I believe to be an entirely legal procedure, whereby, irrespective of the RVR, you may continue the approach to the outer marker or 1000' or final approach fix (as appropriate) and THEN re-assess the RVR as you approach that point/level, if that is what is stated in your Ops Manual.
Comments invited please.