Definition
An instrumentally derived value, expressed in feet, that represents the horizontal distance a pilot in the touchdown zone will see down the runway from the approach end. It is determined by transmissometer equipment installed alongside the runway and accounts for ambient light level, atmospheric attenuation, and runway light intensity setting in use.
Plain English
A measurement, in feet, of how far a pilot can see down the runway from the landing end. It is measured by sensors next to the runway, not estimated by a person looking outside.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter RVR in airport weather reports, tower reports, and published landing limits for low-visibility approaches.
Derivation
Plain English construction: 'runway' (the strip used for takeoff and landing), 'visual' (relating to sight), and 'range' (a measured distance). The phrase names exactly what is measured -- the distance you can visually see along the runway.
Why Pilots Care
It sets the actual visibility minimums that determine whether a takeoff or landing is authorized under instrument flight rules.
Grounding Statement
If fog covers the airport, RVR gives a runway-specific seeing distance instead of a general guess about visibility across the whole field.
Intuition Check
Do not read RVR as general airport visibility. It is a measured, runway-specific distance along a particular runway.
Example Sentence 1
Tower reported RVR 2400 for runway 27, which was above the minimum required for the ILS approach.
Example Sentence 2
With RVR dropping to 600 feet, the crew elected to hold until conditions improved.