Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 8.8; Flight Crew Total 163; Flight Crew Type 42.1
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Weather
Departed FNL airport to stay in the pattern during uncontrolled operations of Class Echo Airspace XA:00. Operations for Tower begin at XB:00.Reported Visibility ASOS was 1SM. Actual visibility on ground and in air was 10+ due to having a clear view of the entire mountain range; which is a given for visibility. One landing in the pattern was performed; 10+ miles visibility and clear of clouds. The Tower opened and reported that the ATIS was reporting 3/4 SM VIS; however multiple aircraft in the pattern gave a PIREP of 10+ visibility. Tower refused our PIREP; asked if we wanted to request SVFR; however if the reported visibility was under 1 SM they could not grant this. We still asked for SVFR since visibility was clear and clear of clouds. Upon asking Tower for SVFR; he said no; asked if we had visual with the runway; which of course we did; and cleared us to land number 2 behind another aircraft ahead of us in the pattern. We landed and terminated the flight. I have previously flown VFR into FNL Airport when the fires were lowering visibility. The METAR and ATIS were reporting 1/4 mile visibility making it IFR; however having full visibility in the aircraft; I called Tower before entering their airspace and asked if the reported visibility was correct. They said no; the RVR is not reliable; visibility was greater than 6SM and to proceed inbound for VFR landing.
Pilot reported FNL airport ASOS visibility is often inaccurate and unreliable.