Originally Posted by
Denver
So their I am breaking out at DH on an ILS, I see only the first bar of the ALSF 2 giving me about 500 feet of visibility. I am then allowed to descent to 100 feet above TDZ where I then see some red side row bars and the flight visibility has now improved to 1800 (minimums) which means I can now descend further and land. So that trip from DH to 100 feet above TDZ with 500 feet of FLIGHT visibility seen by me the pilot was a legal maneuver?
Thanks for the patience on this one.
Yes it is legal. The approach light system is one of the visual references that allows you to descend below DH.
Upon reaching DH the approach lights are in sight. At this point you are in position to land (hopefully) and you have the required visibility for the approach to identify a visual reference which allows you to descend below DH.
Since the approach lights are not a runway visual there's the restriction of the pilot may not descend below 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation using the approach lights as a reference unless the red terminating bars or the red side row bars are also distinctly visible and identifiable.
Now note the visual references must be distinctly visible and identifiable to the pilot. Only seeing one bar of an approach light system in my opinion wouldn't be distinctly visible and would necessitate a missed approach.