Originally Posted by
peekay4
Technically you're not on the procedure until you're cleared for the visual and fly it.
At SFO they may tell you to "join the FMS Bridge visual for routing only". But this isn't clearance to fly the FMS Bridge visual approach. You're simply flying a set of waypoints at that point (possibly in IMC) and provided all the usual IFR protections / separation by ATC. Nothing of concern here.
That's what I meant by my hypothetical clearance:
"Descend via the track and altitudes of the FMS visual. Expect clearance for the visual passing JANYY."
Later, I am going to plot the FMS28R on the NCT MVAs.