Re: JAR Compliant PPL vs JAA PPL - Difference?
A basic FAA PPL holder is entitled to fly Night VFR.
The FAA require FAA licence holders to hold an IR before flying under IFR (no mention of weather or time of day) or in weather that is less than VMC.
My understanding of that is that since the UK requires all night flights outside a control zone to be IFR, and the FAA require an IR for IFR flight a basic VFR only FAA pilot can not fly visually at night outside a control zone.
As for Special VFR. Well the FAA again require an IR for flights in weather less than VMC. So provided that the basic VMC requirements are complied with, a FAA PPL holder could accept a special VFR clearance. This would only make a Special VFR request necessary for a FAA PPL at night in a zone or in a class A zone at any time.
The FAA are not unique in thie regard. Many European countries require any flight under IFR regardless of weather to be done by the holder of an IR.
Regards,
DFC