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I hear pilots being told they are “cleared for a visual approach” when talking with ATC. What is a visual approach?

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Sep 1, 2010 --- If the ceiling and visibility at your destination is at least 1,000 feet and three miles, then pilots on instrument flight plans can ask for a visual approach. Likewise, controllers can assign visual approaches when these conditions prevail.

Before being cleared for a visual approach, ATC will ask you if you have either the airport or preceding traffic in sight. With the airport in sight, ATC can clear you to land just as it would in good VFR conditions. ATC will expect you to fly directly to the approach end of the active runway — although you can make a standard traffic pattern to a landing.

ATC can also give you a visual after you identify an airplane ahead of you in the landing sequence. Once you tell the controller that you've got the traffic in sight, you'll be told to follow that airplane to the airport. You have to maintain safe separation from the traffic that you're following, and it's up to you to avoid any wake turbulence that might be created by the airplane landing ahead of you.

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