The real dangers of Black Night VFR.
Just read the excellent ATSB report on the Bell 407 night VFR flight which culminated in the pilot losing control on a black night flight from Mackay killing all on board.
The pilot who did not have an instrument rating had logged only 12 hours instrument flight in a total of 2570 flying hours.
The Findings (in part) included: "While the forecast weather conditions could be interpreted to meet regulatory requirements for flight under the night VFR.....the lack of celestial or surface/ground-based lighting precluded visual reference to the horizon during the over water portion of the flight.....the regulatory requirements for flight under night VFR did not include considerations for celestial or surface/ground-based lighting availibility or visual reference to the horizon"
One of the ATSB recommendations to CASA was that helicopters operating Night VFR should have a standby AH in case the primary AH fails. Currently a Turn Coordinator covers that eventuality but flying solely on the Turn Cordinator in a helicopter takes exceptional instrument flying skills. I can well believe that, too.
CASA knocked that recommendation back by saying that it had talked to the Helicopter Association of Australia and the general helicopter industry and those bodies said it wasn't necessary. Well they would, wouldn't they - because it would cost money and we all know that money comes before safety. However CASA did say they would legislate for more recurrent training and prof checks. That's like saying that you don't need to be taught to how to swim, but it is better to teach you not to go near the water...
The ATSB report is well worth reading as it brings out the long standing suspicion among pilots that there is a continuing war of words between ATSB and CASA over ATSB Recommendations.
Those of us who have flown on pitch black nights during a Night VFR cross-country have most certainly relied upon instrument flight to stay right side up. Of course you should then be able to log specific portions of the flight as instrument flight time, even though the conditions are legal VMC.
As for the penny pinching decision which was meekly accepted by CASA not to install a second AH in a helicopter used for Night VFR missions, it is clear that the people involved with that sort of short sighted decision have never flown an aeroplane or helicopter for real on a totally black VMC night with only a Turn Coordinator for reference. I have had that experience and even with a current instrument rating was lucky to get away with it. For a non-instrument rated pilot it would be curtains for sure.
The passengers and pilot of the Mooney that went in like a bomb near Mildura on a Night VFR flight a few years back, when the only AH failed due vacuum pump failure, would attest to the almost insurmountable difficulty of flying on instruments at night soley on the Turn Coordinator. Only they are dead.
I strongly recommend that flying school operators who teach Night VFR read the report which is No: 200304282. Bell 407 VH-HTD, Cape Hillsborough, Q'LD.