I have to agree with McGowan on this one! I teach NVFR Ratings in Helos and have considerable experience doing so BUT I will not venture out if the weather is in anyway questionable (including moon phase). Working over water at night (and in some of the remoter areas of Australia) is not an easy job for anybody and I personally feel overwater work at night should be reclassified as requiring an IFR rating and IFR aircraft.
On the other side of the coin, in helicopters in particular because they are so hands-on machines, the NVFR rating is an exceptional confidence/skill builder with most pilots displaying considerably improved pilotting skills after having completed a NVFR rating.
For the unitiated; the NIGHT AUTOROTATIONS can be a very interesting serial!!!
