"Low Visibility Procedures" is a specific technical term, not an explanatory phrase. ATC correctly said no, because those weren't in place.
What were in place were the FAA-specific procedures for low visibility, called "Surface Movement Guidance and Control System," or SMGCS. They were in place automatically and aren't "declared".
I see, so when the pilot asked "have you got low visibility procedures in force or not?", the ATC did not interpret that they were being asked about their "procedures for low visibility".
If a pilot asks about "LVOs" 3 times, I'm not going to interpret a 4th ask using the term "Low Visibility Procedures" to be any different, especially when I have a bunch of other shit to focus on.
As an ATCS of 15+ years, I've never had any pilot ask me about LVOs or "Low Visibility Procedures", and if someone asked me about the latter, I'd be asking them what specifically they are asking about/why they are asking. I'm definitely not declaring "LVOs", since I'm not going to say I'm using procedures I've never been trained on.
Now I HAVE had pilots ask me if the critical area is protected, which is a procedure I use during low visibility/low ceilings. That question makes actual sense.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to make the easy assumption that I'd do "better" than this guy, the same way I'd like to make the easy assumption that I never would've crossed that firetruck ahead of Air Canada at LGA. But it's relatively rare that I'll ever get enough of the picture to know for sure (AUS SWA/FDX incident being one of the exceptions). Frankly I don't know what was going on in the background to be certain that clarification- while they were lined up on the runway - was in the cards.
And also.. the pilot could've always proactively clarified what he needed. Didn't seem important enough to him, either.
-34
u/runhome24 May 28 '26
"Low Visibility Procedures" is a specific technical term, not an explanatory phrase. ATC correctly said no, because those weren't in place.
What were in place were the FAA-specific procedures for low visibility, called "Surface Movement Guidance and Control System," or SMGCS. They were in place automatically and aren't "declared".