Visibitity

O. P. Tripathi
INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
CATC,BAMRAULI,ALLAHABAD
E-MAIL : optripathi02@gmail.com
 VISIBILITY
Visibility for aeronautical purposes is the greater of
Visibility :

(a). The greatest distance at which a black object

of suitable dimension, situated near the ground , can be
seen and recognized when observed against a bright
background.

(b). The greatest distance at which lights in the

vicinity of 1000 candelas can be seen and identified
against an unit background
Homogeneous Visibility data in r/o day & night
The distance upto which lights are seen/ identified at night
(night Visibility) is converted into equivalent day light Visibility
(i.e. the Visibility that would be reported if it were day light
under same condition of atmospheric obscurity).

The equivalent Visibility is reported as night Visibility.

Visibility is reduced by the particles suspended in the

atmosphere, responsible for atmospheric obscurity.

If suspended particles are nil horizontal Visibility is about 40

Km.
Skopograph, Transmissometer automatic visual range assessor
and manual observation are used to determine Visibility/ RVR
Visibility affecting factors:
a).Met factors : Cloud & precipitation, smog (smoke + fog),
DS/SS, Dust raising winds, Wind blown spray from sea, fog & mist
and pollution.
FG : Visibility< 1 Km. BR : 1 Km ≤ Visibility < 5 Km
FU, IC, HZ, DU, SA : Visibility ≤ 5 Km.
The weather in met message is reported if reported visibility is 5
Km or less
b). Other factors :
1. Geographical, e.g. presence of surrounding hills,
2. the colour, brightness and size of the object,
3.the colour and brightness of the back ground,
4.the sensitivity of the observer's sight,
5.the position of the object relative to the sun or moon
6.the transparency of glass pane, windscreen etc. through which
the observer looks.
FOG : is a localized phenomena and defined as a cloud
(suspension of very small water droplets or ice crystals
of size 1µ to 10µ in the air) that envelops the observer
on the ground, reducing the horizontal visibility 1 Km or
less with RH 90% or more.

SVR :SVR is the maximum distance along the earth's

surface at which the portion of the runway near
touchdown can be seen by the pilot on the glide path
during final approach to landing (vide Fig).

SVR observation can be made by pilot only

RVR :
RVR is the maximum distance in the direction of take-off or
landing at which the runway or the specified edge lights or
markers delineating its central line, can be seen and identified by
the pilot of an aircraft on the central line of the runway.

RVR is the extent of runway at touch down which the pilot can
see.

RVR is assessed by an observer standing on a platform of 12 ft

height located as near as permissible to the approach end of the
runway in use by counting edge lights or by skopograph