PJ2
Thanks for bringing some good factual information to this thread. There has been far too much (yet again) idle speculation from too many of the contributers.
Captain Crunch
Please leave out the Airbus/Boeing red herrings! Map shifts can occur on any aircraft and are irrelevant to this debate. The whole point of a circling approach is to remain visual with the airfield and NOT to follow any magenta lines. Once the approach path has broken off from the ILS (or other electronic guidance) The pilots MUST remain visual.