Tropo
You may be right, but I have scanned
ANO and
Rules of the Air and can't see such a regulation.
Bookworm where are you?
I have looked up Fairoaks in the AIP and there are specific local limitations there that VFR aircraft must maintain surface contact in a minimum vis of 3km. Can I respectfully suggest that this limitation would not be specific to Fairoaks if it were a general rule?
I wonder what it was that your Air Law paper was getting at? Maybe to do with PT Ops? Actually there are stipulations in the ANO about PT, but they don't seem to include the ones you mention.
Finally, I can't really see that your admonition that it is not safe for a single to take off in poor conditions would be made any different for an IFR departure. Woss' point was about the choice of IFR and VFR. Your point is (if I understand) that it is not safe for a single to operate in IMC at all. There is no doubt that singles are permitted to take off in IMC under IFR, whatever your (and indeed my) opinion of the advisedness of doing that.
Forgive me if I have misunderstood.
W