What happens to RADAR service when you are cleared for a visual approach?

When cleared for a visual approach, RADAR service is automatically terminated. This transition indicates that the pilot has visual reference to the airport or the approach path and is no longer reliant on RADAR guidance for navigation. Instead, the pilot will visually navigate to the runway, using visual cues instead of relying on instrumental guidance.

During a visual approach, the responsibility for maintaining separation from other aircraft shifts to the pilot, further enhancing the importance of the pilot's situational awareness. While ATC may provide traffic advisories during a visual approach, the formal RADAR service that assists with precision guidance is no longer in effect, thereby affirming the automatic termination of RADAR service.

This understanding underscores the difference between instrument approaches and visual approaches, where pilot visibility and judgment play a critical role in navigation and landing operations.