Descent below MDA -- what would you do?

"Dave S" wrote in message
nk.net...

Go missed. Climb and re-establish radio contact. Re-do the approach and
while still in contact with approach, request a contact approach.. or
cancel IFR and request a special VFR clearance.


Roy said there's no weather reporting at this location. That rules out a
contact approach and SVFR.

In article et,
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

"Dave S" wrote in message
nk.net...

Go missed. Climb and re-establish radio contact. Re-do the approach and
while still in contact with approach, request a contact approach.. or
cancel IFR and request a special VFR clearance.


Roy said there's no weather reporting at this location. That rules out a
contact approach and SVFR.

Yes, I know both the Contact and SVFR were unavailable. On the other hand,
people were flying around VFR. I know my original statement of "assume
it's 2-1/2 miles where you are" eliminated VFR from the list of legal
alternatives, but for all I know, it really was 3 or 4 miles.

I could have gone missed, gotten back in contact with ATC, cancelled IFR,
and then proceeded back to the airport VFR. But that seems totally
pointless.

What if I hadn't asked you to assume it was 2-1/2 miles? The rest stays
the same, ATIS at several airports in the area reporting variously 2-1/2,
3, and 4 miles. Lacking an official report, the best I can say is "an
honest evaluation of flight visibility by the pilot could have reasonably
been said to be 3 miles".

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

Yes, I know both the Contact and SVFR were unavailable. On the other
hand, people were flying around VFR. I know my original statement of
"assume
it's 2-1/2 miles where you are" eliminated VFR from the list of legal
alternatives, but for all I know, it really was 3 or 4 miles.

I could have gone missed, gotten back in contact with ATC, cancelled IFR,
and then proceeded back to the airport VFR. But that seems totally
pointless.

What if I hadn't asked you to assume it was 2-1/2 miles? The rest stays
the same, ATIS at several airports in the area reporting variously 2-1/2,
3, and 4 miles. Lacking an official report, the best I can say is "an
honest evaluation of flight visibility by the pilot could have reasonably
been said to be 3 miles".


Are you asking what's legal or what's wise?

Assuming the former, as long as you have at least three miles visibility and
remain at least 500 feet below, 1000 feet above, and 2000 feet lateral
clearance from all clouds I'd say you can legally land. FAR 91.175 would no
longer apply as you're no longer operating under IFR.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

Are you asking what's legal or what's wise?

Neither. I'm asking what other people would do.

I don't beleive weather reporting is a requirement for Special VFR per
FAR 91.157.

"gman" wrote in message
oups.com...

I don't beleive weather reporting is a requirement for Special VFR per
FAR 91.157.


Special VFR exists only in a surface area, weather reporting is a
requirement for a surface area.

Steven,
Could you point me to correct FAR paragraph? A quick search of the
part 91 FARs on AOPA's website did not turn up anything supporting your
statement.

Thanks

"gman" wrote in message
oups.com...

Steven,
Could you point me to correct FAR paragraph? A quick search of the
part 91 FARs on AOPA's website did not turn up anything supporting your
statement.


Which statement? That Special VFR exists only in a surface area or that
weather reporting is a requirement for a surface area?

For both.

"gman" wrote in message
ups.com...

For both.



FAR 91.155(c) states, " Except as provided in §91.157, no person may operate
an aircraft beneath the ceiling under VFR within the lateral boundaries of
controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport when the
ceiling is less than 1,000 feet." That refers to a surface area.

From the Pilot/Controller Glossary:

SURFACE AREA- The airspace contained by the lateral boundary of the Class B,
C, D, or E airspace designated for an airport that begins at the surface and
extends upward.


The procedures for establishing surface areas are found in FAA Order 7400.2,
"Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters". There are two requirements that
must be met prior to establishing a surface area:

1.) Communications capability with aircraft must exist down to the runway
surface of the primary airport either directly with ATC or by rapid relay
through another communications facility which is acceptable to ATC, such as
a FSS.

2.) Weather observations must be taken at the primary airport during the
time of designation of the surface area.