Snowbird wrote:
Newps wrote in message news:0jTdc.112869$K91.324392@attbi_s02...


You don't accept a visual until you can actually see the aiport. You
can be vectored for a visual because you don't yet see the airport but
reasonably expect you might if you can get closer.




I'm finding this very confusing. Can you direct me to where it says
I must actually see the airport to accept a visual approach?

We've been cleared for a visual approach many times when more
than 10 miles from a non-towered airport w/out an IAP. The
airport was definately not in sight. No vectoring was involved.


You must either see the airport or the preceding aircraft. In the real
world it is only a tiny percentage of aircraft that get a visual
approach and don't have the airport in sight but are following another
aircraft. Here in Billings we give a lot of visual approach clearances
on initial contact because the pilot calls the airport in sight 40 miles
out. Are you saying that the center, for no apparent reason, is just
giving you a visual approach clearance without you first calling the
airport in sight? If that's the case just say "unable". Whether or not
an airport has an IAP is not relavant.