Coalface,
When I did my UK ATPL....admittedly centuries ago....was there not something in the airlaw that talked about lighted objects at night in re: visibility?
When I was flying out of Sumburgh, we used to have a running gunbattle with management about whether two pilots were required at night in the S58T.....they said VMC single pilot....I said night offshore...no horizion...IMC...two pilots. Operative issue being ability to control the aircraft using external references.
Also...if flight is considered VMC/IFR, can you legally log Instrument flying time if you are in VMC conditions and not using a hood or blinds ?
What is the standard practice now-a-days on the North Sea for logging time at night in VMC conditions.....would a log book audit show a problem with pilots logging IF time when in actuality it is VMC ?