And hope like hell you don't have to come back to the airport....
Teller, do the airlines have departure minimums even if there are none defined for that airport?
Pete
Oh we most certainly do. There's about 12 pages in the FOPPM about takeoff mins. The long and the sort of it is:
Std. t/o mins for 2 engines or less are 1sm or 5000 RVR.
We can use std t/o mins or reduced t/o mins unless:
A) The airport has procedures defining the t/o mins to be greater than std, and there is no alternate procedure defined, or
B) the "administrator" [read: FAA], has determined that the mins can't be reduced.
When t/o mins aren't published, or are equal to or less than the std mins, or mins are greater than standard but we're able to comply with the published alternate procedure (eg: minimum climb gradient), we can use the following reduced mins:
Vis of 1/4sm or TDZ RVR 1600 [RVR is controlling, MID RVR can be substituted for TDZ RVR if TDZ is inop or not provided.
This is applicable only if we have:
1. Operative HIRL
2. Operative runway centerline lights. (CL)
3. Runway centerline markings. (RCLM)
4. If "none of the above visual aids are available, visibility or RVV 1/4sm may still be used, provided other runway markings or runway lighting provide pilots with adequate visual reference to continuously identify the takeoff surface and maintain directional control throughout the takeoff run.
We can use TDZ RVR 1200 (mid can be used for TDZ, again) AND rollout RVR 1000 if all of the following are met:
1. Operative CL.
2. Two RVR reporting systems serving the runway to be used, both of which are required and controlling." (Mid can be substituted for tdz or rollout RVR, so long as two are present).
We can use TDZ RVR 600, Mid 600, rollout 600 with all of the following:
1. CL
2. RCLM
3. Two or three operative RVR reporting systems, provided all are controlling.
Now all that is ONLY for airports listed in our company Ops specs. If we land someplace NOT listed in the ops specs, wx must be equal to or better than 800-2, 900-1.5, or 1000-1. Chances are, though, if we land at someplace not approved in the ops specs, something serious happened, and we're going to either be restricted by an MEL to day VFR only, or the plane will be down for mx long enough for the next wx system to come through and clear things out.
That's the cliffs notes version of it. Something is always defined, though...the joys of 121 flying.
