If the weather meets certain criteria, at our company we brief a visual approach "backed up with the ILS"; our SOP's remind us that a visual approach does not have a missed approach segment, so we generally brief a straight ahead missed, expecting tower instructions if we go around. For some airports, (ILS 08L in YVR comes to mind) there is a low level turn as part of the published instrument procedure. What is ATC expecting here? My theory is if you are cleared for the ILS, fly the published, if cleared the "visual" then fly straight ahead. What is ATC's position on this?

very intrested as well, I brife the missed in the event of a comm failure but that always seems to be a waste of time. till the comm failure

Here is what is expected of you. Gee, it is right in the AIM

A visual approach is not an instrument approach procedure and therefore has no missed approach segment. If a go-around is necessary for any reason, aircraft operating at controlled airports will be issued an appropriate advisory/clearance/ instruction by the tower. At uncontrolled airports, aircraft crews are required to remain clear of clouds and are expected to complete a landing as soon as possible. If a landing cannot be accomplished, the aircraft crew is required to remain clear of clouds and is expected to contact ATC as soon as possible for further clearance. ATC separation from other IFR aircraft will be maintained under these circumstances.

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As above as soon as you're cleared a visual approach you are VFR and respect VFR rules. Tower will give you instructions on what to do if you have to go around.

That being said I think it's been in the NOTAMs for YVR lately for certain visuals an IFR aircraft is supposed to fly the IFR missed approach in the event of a go around.

070723 CYVR VANCOUVER INTL
CYVR UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY ATC. IFR ACFT CONDUCTING A
VISUAL APCH RWY 26R/08L ANTICIPATE THE PUB ILS/DME OR ILS/RADAR
MISSED APCH PROC IN THE EVENT OF AN OVERSHOOT TIL APRX 0710311900

Good responses, thanks. I think maybe where it is confusing is when you are in visual conditions, everyone is flying visually, but you are actually cleared with the verbage "ILS 08L". In this case we generally brief the initial turn with the assumption that we will be talking with tower and be given something else.

Im not sure if you are implying this but the Tower isnt allowed to change your approach clearance, they have no authority to do so. If you do get a new approach, ie you originally had an ILS and then got a visual from the Tower, the tower controller is just relaying the clearance from the approach controller.
If you are given the ILS from the approach controller then thats your clearance and you do have a missed approach if needed.

Vancouver Tower and Vancouver Terminal have an agreement that any aircraft on a missed approach will be given runway heading to maintain 2,ooo and this will be given by the tower. So if you are given the ILS it may be wise to brief the ILS.

In the cases that I've seen, visual approaches are only issued in good VMC weather. This being the case, there is most likely what we call "auto overs" in effect with the tower in question. This means that as soon as the aircraft enters the control zone, the aircraft becomes towers control instead of the centres control. My expectation is that if an aircraft cannot land, the tower will issue instructions to the aircraft to keep them within the control zone.

However, if the aircraft can't stay within the control zone, I'd expect a frantic call from the tower and we'd figure things out from there.

Whenan aircraft is on a visual approach at an airport without a tower controller, we expect anything and protect a larger area (depending if they're on radar or not). Since there is no tower anyway, we wouldn't issue another approach until we know the aircraft has landed.

In either case, if the conditions are good and you plan on landing visually. We would prefer hearing the words "canceling IFR" rather than "requesting a visual approach".