Runway Visual Range (RVR) is used for what purpose in flight operations?

• A. General airspace visibility used for enroute flight.
• B. Runway-specific visibility for landing decisions.
• C. Cloud base height estimation.
• D. Wind speed measurement at the runway.

Answer: (B)

RVR provides runway-specific visibility used to support landing decisions. It tells you how far down the runway you can see from the approach end and is used to determine whether a landing can be continued or a go-around is required, especially in low-visibility conditions. Devices along the runway measure this visibility and it’s reported for each runway end, feeding into approach minima and landing operations.

This differs from general airspace visibility, which applies to enroute flight rather than a specific runway. It’s also not about cloud base height or wind speed—the latter is measured by separate instruments (wind sensors).