M2m- for ATCOs (as well as other's) in the UK we follow the guidance in
CAP382.
Originally Posted by Spitoon
2 - In the UK there is an ATC procedure, commonly known as the 'absolute minima' procedure where ATC will ask the crew to check their minima in certain conditions. To do this each ATC unit has a table of minima for each approach that is the lowest that an aircraft can legitimately make an approach. If a pilot says he/she wants to make an approach below these conditions the controller will ask the crew to check their minima. If the pilot still wants to make an approach ATC has some special phraseology that does not clear the aircraft for the approach but says there is no traffic in the way. This gets reported to the CAA.
'Absolute Minima' has been changed a bit and the table of figures at each unit has now gone, the MATS Part 1 refers to it as 'Absolute Operating Minima' and the special phraseology which Spitoon refers to is no longer relevant to Absolute Operating Minima.
Spitoon- basically forget what you what know about Absolute Minima and remember; Controllers shall append 'check your minima' to the first provision of RVR values at or below 1000 m to pilots of inbound aircraft making an instrument approach, except:
a) for precision approaches to runways that are capable of Cat II/III operations.
b) when aircraft are already established on final approach.