I started using LiveATC.net as the back gound ATC chatter for when flying in fsx and I have heard alot of clearances like ..."Southwest 293 report airport in sight"......"293 we have the airport"......"..293 Cleared the visual apporch rwy 13L......" when the app controller give these airliners the clearance for visual approach, do the pilot hand/eye fly the A/C on the approach/landing or do they use the plan on the MFD/PFD?Do they use the MCP/Autopilot?I have some time in training (cessna 150) and hand fly this kind of clearance. Do they?Gary

I started using LiveATC.net as the back gound ATC chatter for when flying in fsx and I have heard alot of clearances like ..."Southwest 293 report airport in sight"......"293 we have the airport"......"..293 Cleared the visual apporch rwy 13L......" when the app controller give these airliners the clearance for visual approach, do the pilot hand/eye fly the A/C on the approach/landing or do they use the plan on the MFD/PFD?Do they use the MCP/Autopilot?I have some time in training (cessna 150) and hand fly this kind of clearance. Do they?Gary

Too broad to answer unfortunately. Really depends on the airport, aircraft, and SOP's for the airline/operator. Sometimes you do/can, sometimes you don't/can't. Even with a visual approach, we still put in a ILS/Loc if available and try to let the autopilot fly for as long a safe unless traffic or other issues present themselves. The autopilot system is capable of a more comfortable approach for the people paying the bills in back. It is also just good form to set a loc/app in for the assigned runway to prevent incidents like landing on the wrong runway or wrong airport like Continental did twice in 1997. John

It is indeed too broad a question to give a definitive answer.For example, KGYY has a full ILS/GS on R030, but can NOT approve any ILS approach. If a pilot asks for it, they are politely informed that "By letter of agreement, we can't approve your request. Call Chicago Approach on xxx.xx for approval, or request a 'long, straight in final.'" :(Pilot's who're paying close attention will quickly amend their request accordingly, then proceed to use the ILS/GS on their own, knowing that they are only officially approved for a visual approach.

I'd hand fly it... :( But to each his own. I use the autopilot up until I'm within 15 miles of the airport (in the sim). In RL--when I'm cleared for a visual-- it really depends on what kind of maneuvering I'm having to do to get onto the runway. Though the aircraft I fly in RL are under 12,500 lbs. and carry substantially less passengers.

At each of the airlines I've worked for, visual approaches were always backed up by the ILS if one was available. In most FOM's, you'll find a blurb mandating that if an electronic glideslope is available, you must remain at or above that glide path, which means you have have have it tuned and ID'd even if you're cleared for the visual. Some guys will hand fly the raw data approach just to keep their skills up, others treat it just like an ILS and let the autopilot fly it down to 1000, or 500ft.If you're cleared visual to a runway without an ILS, then it's typically a purely visual affair.ATC loves visual approaches because the Airport's acceptance rate goes up when using VAPS due to the reduced separation minima, and also because they can offload responsibility for separation onto the pilots. They'll ask you if you have the preceeding traffic in sight, and when you say yes, they'll tell you to maintain visual separation, follow that traffic, and clear you for the visual.