"Stan Prevost" wrote in message ...
....
A local field with part-time tower (Class D airspace when tower is open) has restricted areas in close
proximity. When these areas are active, ATC will not approve the SIAPs. There is no notation on the
approach plate, nor any NOTAM, that says the approaches are not allowed when the restricted areas are active.
There is no AWOS/ASOS reporting over the radio or telephone, but recently the field began putting METARs into
the system. I don't know if the tower personnel are certified weather observers or not, so I don't know if
their observations qualify as "reported" visibility, nor do I know if the METAR visibility report qualifies
as "reported ground visibility". I was hoping someone knew of some rule that allowed a substitute for an
official ground visibility report. There is certified weather observing at a larger field five miles away,
but I don't suppose that would do.

When the restricted areas are active, there is no way to get back into the field in IMC other than a visual
or contact approach. MVA is 2400 MSL, about 1700 AGL. Well, there may be two. One is to fly the ILS into
the adjacent Class C airspace, then cancel and maneuver around the restricted areas at 1000 AGL if cloud
conditions permit, which would require 3 miles visibility. The other possibility is that there is a PAR
approach available sometimes. I haven't asked if they will approve it when the restricted areas are active.
The problem, I think, is the missed approach. Circling is not allowed east of the runway due to terrain, and
for the two published IAPs, the missed goes on the west side, which is where one of the restricted areas is.
Since there is no published missed for the PAR approach, or for a visual or contact approach, I don't know
what they will do. I have flown a visual into the field when the ceiling was overcast at 2400 MSL, but it
was a stretch to say I had the field in sight. A contact approach would have been better.

I think I just need to go talk to these people.



What airport is that?

Thanks,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ