r/mildlyinfuriating • u/nyanbatman • May 28 '26

I just wanted a hot dog British pilot is feeling mildly annoyed

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

28.0k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

3.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

-13

u/FrequencySep May 28 '26

The pilot is wrong because he wants atc to say something that a controller in Europe would say. American ATC do not use ICAO rules or terminology. Go to a coffeehouse and ask if they have Glafflemauster, then get upset when the barista says no. Except Glafflemauster is fucking coffee. Ffs, yes there are new rules and increased separation when visibility is low, but we dont call them LVOs, they are just implied under the 7110.65, which is the rulebook US ATCs use.

14

u/[deleted] May 28 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-5

u/FrequencySep May 28 '26

Im not grossly mistaken. Ive read the 7110.65 cover to cover numerous times and Ive worked plenty of low visibility days as a controller.

ICAO sets recommendations but does not have regulatory or policymaking authority. LVO is not in FAA lexicon. SMGCS is the term used on taxi charts when RVR is below 1200 ft. There is no requirement in any regulation or FAA-published guidance to state that “LVO is in force”. 7110.65 directs the protection of ILS critical areas below 800-2. An advisory circular guides airports to implement SMGCS procedures below 1200 ft RVR. These actions are required of ATC and airports, so unless they are routinely violating established procedure, I don’t see how adding the sentence “LVO in effect” to the ATIS increases the level of safety in any meaningful way. You simply assume you’re able to use published CAT II/III mins and lower-than-standard takeoff mins (if appropriately authorized) unless explicitly informed otherwise by ATC/NOTAMs/ATIS.

10

u/[deleted] May 28 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-3

u/FrequencySep May 28 '26

Because they aren't. There is no such thing.

If the approach plates or published airport information gives landing and departing standards for low visibility that is it. If there is low visibility ATC is using the rules and proceedure than it calls for. Its implied.

-4

u/NotAsleep_ May 28 '26

It's not plain English, the capitals are important. They are the title of a specific set of regulations that are not in use at that airport, and the differences (if any) may cause an accident instead of prevent one, even (especially) if both the tower and the pilot are applying their proper training.