Narrative:

We were vectored for a visual approach to runway 26 from the east. The haze was bad looking into the sun when approach turned us in to the west. We could not see runway 26; but we did have the visual approach for runway 26 set into our FMS. The inbound track was 270 degrees per the collins FMS. As we got closer; we still did not see runway 26. The controller told us to just pick up the localizer for runway 26. We did not have it set in (localizer frequency 26) because we were told to expect visual runway 26. So we keep flying the visual FMS track until we got the localizer in. At that time the controller told us we were lining up with runway 27R and turned us 20 degrees right (heading). We finally got the runway 26 localizer in; but was offset. At that time; the controller broke us off the approach and re-vectored us for the ILS runway 26. Things were ok then. But I found the localizer was offset to 263 degrees inbound! So a 270 degree heading would have put us on a path to runway 27R on the controller's radar. When there is such a difference in the FMS inbound track between the visual 270 degrees and the localizer 263 degrees; the controller perhaps should have given us a heads up when he changed instructions. From now on; I will always have the localizer in the navigation as a backup; since things happen fast with FMS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUN AND HAZE OBSCURE RWY 26 FOR FA50 CLEARED FOR A VISUAL AT PHL. FAILURE TO PRE-TUNE APPROPRIATE NAVAIDS RESULTS IN MISALIGNMENT AND ATC DIRECTED GAR.

Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26 FROM THE E. THE HAZE WAS BAD LOOKING INTO THE SUN WHEN APCH TURNED US IN TO THE W. WE COULD NOT SEE RWY 26; BUT WE DID HAVE THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 26 SET INTO OUR FMS. THE INBOUND TRACK WAS 270 DEGS PER THE COLLINS FMS. AS WE GOT CLOSER; WE STILL DID NOT SEE RWY 26. THE CTLR TOLD US TO JUST PICK UP THE LOC FOR RWY 26. WE DID NOT HAVE IT SET IN (LOC FREQ 26) BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VISUAL RWY 26. SO WE KEEP FLYING THE VISUAL FMS TRACK UNTIL WE GOT THE LOC IN. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE LINING UP WITH RWY 27R AND TURNED US 20 DEGS R (HDG). WE FINALLY GOT THE RWY 26 LOC IN; BUT WAS OFFSET. AT THAT TIME; THE CTLR BROKE US OFF THE APCH AND RE-VECTORED US FOR THE ILS RWY 26. THINGS WERE OK THEN. BUT I FOUND THE LOC WAS OFFSET TO 263 DEGS INBOUND! SO A 270 DEG HDG WOULD HAVE PUT US ON A PATH TO RWY 27R ON THE CTLR'S RADAR. WHEN THERE IS SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THE FMS INBOUND TRACK BTWN THE VISUAL 270 DEGS AND THE LOC 263 DEGS; THE CTLR PERHAPS SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US A HEADS UP WHEN HE CHANGED INSTRUCTIONS. FROM NOW ON; I WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE LOC IN THE NAV AS A BACKUP; SINCE THINGS HAPPEN FAST WITH FMS.

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.