Narrative:

Air carrier X A-320 from tus to phx. As we approached phx, we were told to expect visual approach to runway 8R. While on a west heading, I was cleared to descend to 4000 ft. While passing 5000 ft, I was given a turn to 340 degrees. Traffic was pointed out to us, and we established visual contact. The traffic air carrier Y L-1011 sbound on a left base for landing on runway 8. This put us nose- to-nose at an estimated distance of 7-8 mi. When the controller was told we had the traffic in sight, he cleared us for a visual approach to runway 8L and to pass above or behind the l- 1011 and that the L-1011 was going to runway 8R. This had us crossing paths as we were now on a right base to the left runway, while our head-on traffic was on a left base to the right runway. I maintained altitude and heading while waiting for the L-1011 to start his turn to final as the L-1011 was already slightly below our altitude and descending. This would keep me above and behind the L-1011 until passing, as directed by approach control. As the L-1011 passed off my right side, I started my right turn to final, keeping the L-1011 in sight as their turn to final was completed, and we were now in parallel final with my aircraft above and behind the L-1011. I estimated our vertical separation to be approximately 500 ft and horizontal separation to be less than 1/2 mi at the closest point. Crossing aircraft in this manner was a very poor procedure to be used by approach control. It was very difficult to keep the other aircraft in sight during this procedure. The FMC was set for runway 8R. When given the traffic and the visual approach clearance to runway 8L, I disengaged the autoplt and autothrottles to hand fly the airplane, as the proximity of traffic was not conducive to a pilot having his head down entering a new runway into the computer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWYS VISUAL APCH IN USE ACR X HAD CONFLICT WITH ACR Y.

Narrative: ACR X A-320 FROM TUS TO PHX. AS WE APCHED PHX, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8R. WHILE ON A W HDG, I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT. WHILE PASSING 5000 FT, I WAS GIVEN A TURN TO 340 DEGS. TFC WAS POINTED OUT TO US, AND WE ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT. THE TFC ACR Y L-1011 SBOUND ON A L BASE FOR LNDG ON RWY 8. THIS PUT US NOSE- TO-NOSE AT AN ESTIMATED DISTANCE OF 7-8 MI. WHEN THE CTLR WAS TOLD WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT, HE CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L AND TO PASS ABOVE OR BEHIND THE L- 1011 AND THAT THE L-1011 WAS GOING TO RWY 8R. THIS HAD US XING PATHS AS WE WERE NOW ON A R BASE TO THE L RWY, WHILE OUR HEAD-ON TFC WAS ON A L BASE TO THE R RWY. I MAINTAINED ALT AND HDG WHILE WAITING FOR THE L-1011 TO START HIS TURN TO FINAL AS THE L-1011 WAS ALREADY SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR ALT AND DSNDING. THIS WOULD KEEP ME ABOVE AND BEHIND THE L-1011 UNTIL PASSING, AS DIRECTED BY APCH CTL. AS THE L-1011 PASSED OFF MY R SIDE, I STARTED MY R TURN TO FINAL, KEEPING THE L-1011 IN SIGHT AS THEIR TURN TO FINAL WAS COMPLETED, AND WE WERE NOW IN PARALLEL FINAL WITH MY ACFT ABOVE AND BEHIND THE L-1011. I ESTIMATED OUR VERT SEPARATION TO BE APPROX 500 FT AND HORIZ SEPARATION TO BE LESS THAN 1/2 MI AT THE CLOSEST POINT. XING ACFT IN THIS MANNER WAS A VERY POOR PROC TO BE USED BY APCH CTL. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT DURING THIS PROC. THE FMC WAS SET FOR RWY 8R. WHEN GIVEN THE TFC AND THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC TO RWY 8L, I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES TO HAND FLY THE AIRPLANE, AS THE PROX OF TFC WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO A PLT HAVING HIS HEAD DOWN ENTERING A NEW RWY INTO THE COMPUTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.