framer - VFR pilots may navigate totally without reference to the ground if using radio navigation as well. The difference is an IFR pilot may operate below VMC, that is in IMC conditions, and fly only by aircraft instrument reference for flight path guidance.
Phew! Thanks for letting me in on that, I'l try to remember it on Monday at work.
To say that currency does not matter just because they fly every day is complete rubbish.
calm down lad, nobody is saying that, all I'm saying is that our VB73 Captain flies 95% of every flight soley by reference to the instruments, scanning scanning scanning, so if he logs 2hrs on a gin clear day who cares? He has probably done 20 hours in reality.
There have actually been a number of large aircraft accidents caused by flight crew disorientation at night/IMC when proper scanning and understanding of the aircraft displays would have averted the disaster, this includes A320 and 737 types
Yeah I've seen the reports and watched the tv shows. How many of them are flown by crews trained by an airline from Aus, NZ, UK or USA? Serious question, there must be one or two but the impression I am left with is always that the crew skill and coordination was shocking, so bad as to be hard to believe. Always seems to be some dodgy Asian/African/Sth american outfit. I can think of some turbo-prop examples but no jet examples. Help me out with that one.