ACR LGT MADE A TKOF FROM ONT IN LOW RVR WITHOUT THE REQUIRED RWY C/L.

Narrative

AT XX51 AM; I TAXIED FROM THE TERMINAL TO THE ACTIVE RWY 26R AT ONTARIO. ON THE WAY TO THE RWY; I HEARD THE TWR GIVE AN RVR RPT OF 1000; 5200; 2500 TO AN ACFT TAKING OFF. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE TWR GIVING OUR FLT THE VISIBILITY WHEN WE APCHED THE RWY. VISIBILITY AS WE TAXIED WAS VERY GOOD; AT LEAST THE 1 MI RPTED. SEVERAL ACFT TOOK OFF AHEAD OF US AND WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON 26R. VISIBILITY APPEARED TO ME TO BE ABOUT 1500 FT. AFTER 2000 FT OF TKOF ROLL THE VISIBILITY IMPROVED TO 1 MI OR BETTER AS RPTED. AT CRUISE; THE SO ASKED ABOUT RWY REQUIREMENTS FOR A RVR 1000 TKOF. ON CHKING THE FLT OPS MANUAL; WE DISCOVERED THAT RVR 1000 DID INDEED CALL FOR CENTERLINE LIGHTS. RWY 26R IS NOT THE PRIMARY INST RWY AT ONT AND HAS ONLY CENTERLINE RWY MARKINGS; NOT LIGHTS. THE TRANSMISSOMETER FOR ONT IS NEXT TO RWY 26L. I BELIEVE THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOVE THAT RPTED FOR TKOF ON 26R; BUT IT WAS STILL THE OFFICIAL RVR; REGARDLESS. MY FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THE RWY REQUIREMENTS FOR TKOF; I BELIEVE; WAS INFLUENCED BY THE FACT THAT SEVERAL OTHER ACFT TOOK OFF AHEAD OF US. THIS IS NOT A VALID EXCUSE BUT IT DOES TEND TO REINFORCE THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE TKOF IS LEGAL. ALSO; THE VISIBILITY APPEARED MUCH BETTER THAN RPTED AND THIS TENDED TO PUSH THE RVR 1000 RPT TO THE BACK OF MY MIND TO THE EXTENT THAT I MORE OR LESS DISCOUNTED IT. THE PROBLEM; AS STATED BEFORE; IS THAT A RPTED RVR IS OFFICIAL; EVEN IF THE EQUIP IS LOCATED SOME DISTANCE AWAY AND THE ACTUAL VISIBILITY IS BETTER THAN RPTED. THE SOLUTION IS FOR EACH RWY TO HAVE ITS OWN TRANSMISSOMETER; BUT THAT IS EXPENSIVE. OTHER THAN THAT; THE SOLUTION IS TO DISREGARD WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AND CAREFULLY ASSESS THE RWY CONDITIONS FOR EACH TKOF USING RPTED WX CONDITIONS; REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL ESTIMATES OF CONDITIONS.