Definition
An RVR readout taken from a visibility sensor located near the midpoint of the runway, reported in feet, used in addition to Touchdown and Rollout RVR values on runways equipped with multiple sensors.
Plain English
A measurement of how far a pilot can see down the runway, taken from a sensor placed roughly halfway along it. It tells the pilot what visibility is like in the middle portion of the runway, not just at the start or end.
Context Anchor
Seen in low-visibility takeoff, approach, and landing information when runway visibility is reported by runway section.
Derivation
RVR stands for Runway Visual Range — a measured horizontal distance a pilot can expect to see down the runway. 'Mid' simply identifies which sensor along the runway provided the reading.
Why Pilots Care
Provides critical information on whether visibility remains sufficient for continued landing or takeoff when conditions change along the runway length.
Intuition Check
Mid-RVR is not an average of the whole runway. It is a specific visibility reading taken near the runway midpoint.
Example Sentence 1
Tower reported Touchdown RVR 1800, Mid-RVR 1600, and Rollout RVR 1400, so visibility was decreasing along the length of the runway.
Example Sentence 2
Low mid-RVR prevented the flight from continuing the approach even though touchdown RVR met minima.