Hmm, just how many people have their hands up? Does this happen so often that at least 50% of pilots now have their hands up? In all the years single engine helicopters have been giving rides over the Vegas strip at night (and there's a lot of them) how many of those pilots have their hands up?
Robbiee - when you got your licence, you had to demonstrate your ability to get the aircraft on the ground safely following an engine failure - during the day - so there is a check and balance that gives you and your insurers a warm and fuzzy feeling that you will likely survive (even if you bend the aircraft a bit).
If you haven't trained to do night autos - at least to the hover - what are your chances of safely executing the manoeuvre?
And it doesn't have to be just engine failure - a TR failure or a fire for instance, would put you in the same position of needing to get on the ground really quickly.
Generally guys who fly twins have had practice in a simulator doing all these things - how many single engine pilots get that extra training?
I reckon a night EOL going from the very bright lights of Vegas into a dark parking lot or park would be pretty horrible, with or without a landing lamp.
Maybe people doing or advocating night single flying haven't really thought through the extra risks in their libertarian desire for freedom to make money.
I wouldn't go night flying in a single without NVG - at least I could see where I was going to crash.