FLC REFUSED CLRNC BECAUSE OF WX VISIBILITY. WX EQUIP RVR MINIMUMS NOT SHOWN ON APCH CHART.

Narrative

THE MINIMUMS FOR THE RWY 17L ILS APCH AT COS IS 1/2 MI. THE 11-1 ARPT PAGE DOES NOT LIST RVR EQUIP FOR RWY 17L. IT DOES; HOWEVER; LIST IT FOR THE W RWY 35L. THE ATIS RPTED WX AS W1X 1/4F 51/51/3506/005 TWR VISIBILITY 1/4 MI. APCHING THE COS ARPT; I INQUIRED AS TO ANY DIFFICULTY IN GETTING INTO COS; AND WAS TOLD; NO ACFT WERE LNDG ON THE RWY 17L RWY. THE WX WAS AUTOMATED WHICH DOES NOT RPT RVR; ETC. THE FAA INSPECTOR SITTING IN THE JUMPSEAT SUGGESTED CHKING THE TWR FOR AN RVR. WE DID AND WERE GIVEN ONE FOR RWY 17L; ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T HAVE A PUBLISHED RVR. THE TWR WAS GIVING PLTS A VERBAL WX OF W1X 1/4F 51/51/3507/004 TWR VISIBILITY 1 1/4 MI WHICH WAS LEADING MOST TO CONCLUDE THAT THEY HAD ACCEPTABLE WX; WHEN THEY DID NOT. APPARENTLY THE RWY 17L RWY HAS AN RVR THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY INSTALLED BUT NOT CERTIFIED AND THE ATC BOYS AREN'T FOLLOWING THE RULES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: COS FACILITY SUPVR STATED THE RVR HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED SINCE FEB/95. FAA MAINT TECHNICIAN THAT INSTALLED AND CERTIFIED THE EQUIP FAILED TO INFORM FAA MAINT CTL CTR AND A NOTAM WAS NEVER ISSUED SHOWING RVR ON RWY 17L. THIS HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN SEP/95 BUT AFTER THE DATE OF THE RPTED INCIDENT.