Night flying VMC/IFR
How do people interpret the rules regarding flying at night time?
Returning from offshore to a non-coastal airfield at night time, according to our ops-manual, we can fly visual contact flight if the weather is 1200 feet and 5000 m or better. This allows us to fly overland at 1000 feet AGL, with visual references.
If the weather meets this criteria, are we then exempt from the need to carry alternate fuel ie if we fly in VMC conditions at night time, are we exempt from the IFR requirement for an onshore alternate, considering there is no such thing as VFR at night time? The crux of the matter in winter is that with the S76 having no icing clearance, we would spend a large proprtion of the winter months being unable to plan to fly to any alternates due to freezing levels being below MSA (or MOCA).
This issue comes up every winter, and would be grateful to hear other peoples views.
Thanks, Andy
Last edited by AndyJB32; 21st Dec 2007 at 14:26.