Originally Posted by
Hipper
...assume that a VFR only pilot will have a fair knowledge of the cockpit instruments and how to use them, but not so much of instrument landing techniques.
That's correct
Originally Posted by
Hipper
When flying over sea on a moonless night, is that still considered a VFR flight?
It can be, but regulations put many limitations:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ...01:0066:EN:PDF
1. The flight must remain at least 1000 ft above terrain (2000 ft in designated mountainous ares)
2. The vertical distance from airplane to clouds must be at least 1000 ft (so a total ground cloud distance of 2000 ft)
OR the plane must be clear of clouds and with the surface in sight (which is not possible over the sea on a moonless night) and the clouds must be at least 1500 ft above the ground surface.
Practically, for flying legally over the sea at night, the cloud ceiling must be way above 2000 ft.
But "legal" doesn't mean "safe".
Originally Posted by
Hipper
Not being a commercial pilot, he will be restricted to 6,000 feet.
There is no altitude restriction on non-commercial flights.
However, VFR flights are restricted to altitudes lower or equal to 19,500 ft.
And VFR flights may not fly in controlled airspaces of class A.
In UK, the airways are class A airspaces.
Originally Posted by
Hipper
If flying into foul weather can the pressure as seen by the aircraft vary enough to give wrong readings?
Yes, but hardly more than 1 hPa at a time (1 hPa ~= 30 ft)