Do visual approach operations require compliance with cloud clearance requirements?

Visual approach operations do not require compliance with cloud clearance requirements. During a visual approach, pilots are responsible for maintaining their own visual references to the ground and the airport, rather than relying solely on instrument flight rules (IFR) gauges and procedures. The key aspect of a visual approach is that the pilot has the appropriate visual references that allow them to maintain situational awareness and safely navigate to the airport.

In a visual approach, the air traffic control (ATC) will clear the aircraft for the approach based on the pilot's ability to see and navigate to the airport visually. This effectively means that the pilot can operate outside the typical cloud clearance minima that apply to IFR operations, as long as they are in sight of the runway and can maneuver the aircraft safely.

The notion that cloud clearance requirements are still necessary in certain cases, or only during IFR conditions, pertains to situations where traditional IFR rules would apply, which is not the case for a visual approach that emphasizes visual navigation. Therefore, the controls associated with cloud clearance requirements do not apply during visual approaches, hence supporting that they do not require compliance with those requirements.