RVR/CMV/Met Vis factoring on PANS-OPS / MIPS approach procedures
 

I am familiar with the procedure for converting met vis to an RVR equivalent (ie CMV) by applying the factors of 1.5 for day and 2.0 for night, assuming the airfield has the appropriate lighting systems.

A discussion has recently emerged at my operator, whereby it is suggested that this cannot be done to a procedure constructed to PANS-OPS or MIPS (the NATO equivalent of PANS-OPS) criteria.

To quote a specific example:

An SRA procedure has a required visibility in the minima box of 1200m. The met vis issued on the ATIS and in the METAR was 800m. The airfield has the appropriate lighting systems in place. Can the 800m met vis be factored by 1.5 to achieve a CMV of 1200m and therefore allow for the procedure to be flown. The procedure in question is published by Jeppesen to PANS-OPS criteria.

Exhaustive analysis of the Terminal Chart Legend Booklet and the AIP offer no further clues as to whether to minima box is referring to RVR or met viz. It simply says 1200m.

Any help or thoughts greatly appreciated.

This came up years ago at Pristina where a met vis was published for one approach. Unless it says 'RVR' there is no factoring allowed.

Any links to explain 'MIPS'?

Can you be a little more specific by telling us which airport and runway?

It all hinges on exactly what you mean by "... has a required visibility in the minima box of ..."

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg28/...png&res=medium

There is also a Jeppesen plate, which is constructed to PANS-OPS, not MIPS. The minima quoted on that plate are exactly the same. From what I can gather, MIPS is Military Instrument Procedure Design Standards (or System), and uses exactly the same criteria as those laid down under PANS-OPS. The Jeppesen plate is all but identical.

Thank you very much for the prompt responses, much appreciated.

Without access to MIPS dcodes etc, I would say that looking at Note 3 the min vis is exactly that - vis - and therefore could not be factored under EUOPS rules.