Approach plate blues
 

Yikes I've forgotten something:

say you're on an IFR flight plan and you're doing the NDB ILS DME R/W 26 approach into Luton where the RVR for CAT A is 550m.

Can you always attempt the approach even if the ATIS says that the visibility is less then 550m or the ATIS says the ceiling is less then the Decision Height ?

Any information is appreciated :)

Yes but at 1000ft agl you must have the required vis reported in order to continue, if not you go around. Below 1000ft agl reported vis is for information only.

You certainly have forgotten something.

You can not proceed past the Outer Marker (or published equivalent point not less than 1,000') unless the reported RVR meets your minimum (this is known as the 'approach ban'). Cloud base though doesn't matter.

if it's a precision approach (ils, mls, par, ...) only visibility is necessary (not talking about operational decision, but jar-ops here), and you can therefore forget about the ceiling (not the case if it's a classic approach).

if you've recieved the atis and it's giving you less than 550m (say 450m) then they should be in lvo conditions and your problem is the aircrafts approach capacity (cat 2, 3 ...).

if you're cat 1 only and the viz is less than the minimum, you cannot proceed with the approach further than the outer marker or it's equivalent position (either a published equivalent ie dme distance or 1000' agl). if you've started the approach because the viz information you have is above your minimum and have gone further than the OM then you can proceed to the mda whatever the viz or rvr giving to you by atc.

hope i've answered your q

seb

Reported vis is irrelevant where you have RVR reports; now if RVR was less than 550m....

Great , yes thanks for those answers !

Guys is there any website that is a good source for Approach Minimums etc ?
I had a look at my ATPL notes and it does not mention the 1000' check :(

Yes look at
JAR-OPS 1.405
Where no outer marker or equivalent
position exists, the commander or the pilot to whom
conduct of the flight has been delegated shall make
the decision to continue or abandon the approach
before descending below 1 000 ft above the
aerodrome
But use it in conjunction with
JAR-OPS 1.192 Terminology
Equivalent Position: a position that
can be established by means of a DME distance, a
suitably located NDB or VOR, SRE or PAR fix or
any other suitable fix between 3 and 5 miles from
threshold that independently establishes the
position of the aeroplane.