A quick response to Bekolblockage and Diving Duck...
The reasons on our company requiring us to be IFR within 50nm of departure are more related to trying to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain and preventing inadvertent penetration into restricted airspace, such as Camp David.
There is no restriction on light aircraft doing commercial operations VFR, but it is actively discouraged in the spirit of the writing of our CPL requirements. No CPL can conduct commercial operations more than 25nm from their departure point unless they possess an instrument rating. Hence, any CPL could only conduct, say, scenic flights without an IFR rating.
Last edited by Chris Higgins; 24th Jun 2004 at 10:45.