Contact Approach

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
nk.net:
I guess the next question is, "reported to whom?".


To ATC.

No, to the pilot. ATC doesn't necessarily get weather reports, because
they're not the National Weather Service. We have weather observers in
lots of places, and their reports don't necessarily get into the system,
especially if we call up and ask for the weather at odd times.
If your FBO has a certified weather observer on staff ATC will have
that observation.

Not necessarily, and in some cases, not even likely. Weather is not
reported to ATC, it's reported to the NWS, if anyone. ATC isn't at the
front of the line. In fact, my home base has weather reporting via ASOS
and much of the time ATC is far behind on the weather. They don't even
know when it goes from VMC to IMC and vice versa unless we tell them.

--
Regards,

Stan

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." B. Franklin

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote in message
...

Steve,

What's your take on this situation?

There was an accredited weather observer on the ground at KEPM. KEPM
rarely in the past would report weather to Bangor Radio, but did not on
this particular day.

I contacted this observer on 122.8 and obtained the visibility from him.
I
then relayed this information to ATC and told them it was from an
accredited observer.

I was then cleared for a contact approach.


My take is there's no point in making an observation and not reporting it.
If an observation is made but not reported then the requirement for reported
ground visibility has not been satisfied.

"Stan Gosnell" wrote in message
...

You just tell him that you have the weather. I do this all the time,
flying approaches to slimeholes in the backwaters of south Louisiana,
using weather from company observers, under Part 135. They're certified,
and do make supplemental observations to the NWS, but mostly they just do
observations for us when needed. It's the same as any other weather
report, and the same as if you get it from a tower. The ATC specialist
doesn't care where the weather came from, or how you got it. All he
cares about is that you can get on the ground and out of his airspace.
Tell him you have the Podunk weather, want to fly the approach, and he'll
give you a clearance.


That's not good enough for a contact approach. The reported ground
visibility must be at least one mile for the controller to issue a clearance
for a contact approach. There's no minimum visibility required to issue
clearance for an IAP.

"Stan Gosnell" wrote in message
...

No, to the pilot.


No, to ATC. Really.



ATC doesn't necessarily get weather reports, because
they're not the National Weather Service. We have weather observers in
lots of places, and their reports don't necessarily get into the system,
especially if we call up and ask for the weather at odd times.


The subject is contact approaches. Where ATC does not get weather reports
contact approaches are not available.



Not necessarily, and in some cases, not even likely. Weather is not
reported to ATC, it's reported to the NWS, if anyone. ATC isn't at the
front of the line. In fact, my home base has weather reporting via ASOS
and much of the time ATC is far behind on the weather. They don't even
know when it goes from VMC to IMC and vice versa unless we tell them.


That is unlikely.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
nk.net:

The subject is contact approaches. Where ATC does not get weather
reports contact approaches are not available.

That may well be. I'm prohibited from requesting or flying contact
approaches, so I've never done it, nor studied the requirements that
closely.


Not necessarily, and in some cases, not even likely. Weather is not
reported to ATC, it's reported to the NWS, if anyone. ATC isn't at
the front of the line. In fact, my home base has weather reporting
via ASOS and much of the time ATC is far behind on the weather. They
don't even know when it goes from VMC to IMC and vice versa unless we
tell them.


That is unlikely.

No, that's the everyday reality.

--
Regards,

Stan

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." B. Franklin

Yes,

Ground visibility should be at least 1 SM and the pilot have to request
the contact approach.
Raf

"Steven P. McNicoll" a écrit dans le message de
news: t...

"Stan Prevost" wrote in message
...

Can ATC clear an aircraft for a contact approach to an airport which
has
no weather reporting?


No, a contact approach requires a reported ground visibility of at least
one
mile.

"Stan Gosnell" wrote in message
...

That may well be.


It's a certainty.



No, that's the everyday reality.


You do not appear to be in a position to know the everyday reality.

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 04:48:05 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:

My take is there's no point in making an observation and not reporting it.
If an observation is made but not reported then the requirement for reported
ground visibility has not been satisfied.



It was reported. The pilot was the conduit.

Where is it written that this is not allowed?

Well, somewhere along the line ATC has to get the reported weather in
order to issue the clearance.


On 11 Feb 2005 04:41:54 GMT, Stan Gosnell wrote:

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
ink.net:
I guess the next question is, "reported to whom?".


To ATC.

No, to the pilot. ATC doesn't necessarily get weather reports, because
they're not the National Weather Service. We have weather observers in
lots of places, and their reports don't necessarily get into the system,
especially if we call up and ask for the weather at odd times.
If your FBO has a certified weather observer on staff ATC will have
that observation.

Not necessarily, and in some cases, not even likely. Weather is not
reported to ATC, it's reported to the NWS, if anyone. ATC isn't at the
front of the line. In fact, my home base has weather reporting via ASOS
and much of the time ATC is far behind on the weather. They don't even
know when it goes from VMC to IMC and vice versa unless we tell them.

Thiw may be true of SIAP's, since ATC often doesn't know or care about
what the weather is when they clear you for an approach.

We are discussing contact approaches, however. It's a different
animal.


On 11 Feb 2005 04:36:52 GMT, Stan Gosnell wrote:

You just tell him that you have the weather. I do this all the time,
flying approaches to slimeholes in the backwaters of south Louisiana,
using weather from company observers, under Part 135. They're certified,
and do make supplemental observations to the NWS, but mostly they just do
observations for us when needed. It's the same as any other weather
report, and the same as if you get it from a tower. The ATC specialist
doesn't care where the weather came from, or how you got it. All he
cares about is that you can get on the ground and out of his airspace.
Tell him you have the Podunk weather, want to fly the approach, and he'll
give you a clearance.

--
Regards,

Stan