B757 pilot is concerned with visual approach applications by A80 controllers.

Attributes
ACN	654271
Time
Date	200504
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	654271
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Atl approach's to practice of 'voluntary' follow the preceding traffic visual approachs is once again reaching an obsessive level. In marginal conditions due to virga and sun angle; ATC was nearly demanding aircraft call preceding traffic in sight. In our case; they vectored us on a 90 degree angle to final and kept calling out traffic for us to call in sight so they could give us the visual. Conditions were marginal to call traffic but ok to call field; which we did. ATC would not clear us for visual approach calling field in sight. He then sarcastically said; 'you can't see that aircraft 3 mi ahead?' as we passed through the centerline and toward parallel traffic on approachs to runway 27L. We again called field and; visibility getting better; called traffic. Finally cleared for visual. Kicked off autoplt; manually maneuvered aircraft back to centerline. When ATC asked us about overshooting and we told him he didn't clear us to intercept; he told us he thought he had. If the wake turbulence doesn't kill us; the obsession to call traffic almost led to a midair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 PLT IS CONCERNED WITH VISUAL APCH APPLICATIONS BY A80 CTLRS.

Narrative: ATL APPROACH'S TO PRACTICE OF 'VOLUNTARY' FOLLOW THE PRECEDING TFC VISUAL APCHS IS ONCE AGAIN REACHING AN OBSESSIVE LEVEL. IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS DUE TO VIRGA AND SUN ANGLE; ATC WAS NEARLY DEMANDING ACFT CALL PRECEDING TFC IN SIGHT. IN OUR CASE; THEY VECTORED US ON A 90 DEG ANGLE TO FINAL AND KEPT CALLING OUT TFC FOR US TO CALL IN SIGHT SO THEY COULD GIVE US THE VISUAL. CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL TO CALL TFC BUT OK TO CALL FIELD; WHICH WE DID. ATC WOULD NOT CLR US FOR VISUAL APCH CALLING FIELD IN SIGHT. HE THEN SARCASTICALLY SAID; 'YOU CAN'T SEE THAT ACFT 3 MI AHEAD?' AS WE PASSED THROUGH THE CTRLINE AND TOWARD PARALLEL TFC ON APCHS TO RWY 27L. WE AGAIN CALLED FIELD AND; VISIBILITY GETTING BETTER; CALLED TFC. FINALLY CLRED FOR VISUAL. KICKED OFF AUTOPLT; MANUALLY MANEUVERED ACFT BACK TO CTRLINE. WHEN ATC ASKED US ABOUT OVERSHOOTING AND WE TOLD HIM HE DIDN'T CLR US TO INTERCEPT; HE TOLD US HE THOUGHT HE HAD. IF THE WAKE TURB DOESN'T KILL US; THE OBSESSION TO CALL TFC ALMOST LED TO A MIDAIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.