B727-232 LANDS OUT OF AN ILS ON A RWY THAT HAD NO RWY EDGE LIGHTS (HIRL) IN SVC. CREW DEBATED FOR A SHORT MOMENT AS TO THE LEGALITY OF SUCH AN OP AT NIGHT. LIGHTS WERE OTS DUE TO THE WX SYS PASSING THROUGH.

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RWY EDGE LIGHTS WENT OUT DURING APCH OF ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND REMAINED OUT THROUGH OUR LNDG AND LNDGS OF OTHERS BEHIND US. APCH LIGHTS; CTRLINE LIGHTS AND ILS WERE FUNCTIONAL. WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS APCH TO RWY 8L. WX WAS VMC (1200 FT OVCST 4 SM VISIBILITY). I AND CHK AIRMAN ACCOMPANYING ME FELT LNDG COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AS DID OTHER PLTS BEFORE AND AFTER US. AFTER LNDG THE QUESTION AROSE AGAIN AS TO THE STRICT LEGALITY OF THE LNDG. COMPANY MANUALS ALLOW LNDG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS USING A VISUAL APCH. THE QUESTION IS HAVING BEEN CLRED AN ILS APCH IS IT A VISUAL APCH OR AN ILS UNDER VMC WHEN ONE BREAKS OUT BELOW THE OVCST? NO REAL SAFETY ISSUES HERE AS THE APCH AND LNDG WERE CONDUCTED WITH CLEARLY ADEQUATE VISUAL REFS. I FELT CERTAIN THAT THE REQUIREMENTS TO CONTINUE AND LAND HAD ALL BEEN MET. MY CHK AIRMAN WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN BUT A LITTLE LESS SO THAN I. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 393423: QUICK DECISION AMONGST CREW; TRYING TO REMEMBER 'THE RULES.' CHOPPY; GUSTY CONDITIONS AND CEILING 1200 FT LEFT NO TIME TO 'REVIEW;' BUT VFR 'BELOW' AND RPTED SAME.