das Uber Soldat, under your reasoning you can you fly to an aerodrome without a TAF under VFR without an alternate on a CAVOK day, but going IFR requires an alternate...
In my books, use the area forecast to judge whether it is 8km vis and a ceiling 500ft above the last route segments' LSALT. (AIP ENR 1.1 57.2.9 / AU304 3.2.12c)
AU601 1.2.1
A forecast must be either a flight forecast or an area forecast with an aerodrome forecast for the destination and, when required, the alternate aerodrome. For a flight to a destination for which a prescribed instrument procedure does not exist, the minimum requirement is an Area Forecast.
AU601 1.4.1
A flight operating under IFR by day may be planned to a non-instrument procedure destination provided that the aircraft can be navigated in accordance with General Flight Procedures. When the forecast for the destination is below the alternate minima (i) specified in Airports and Ground Aids, the pilot-in-command must ensure that a suitable alternate has been nominated.
(i)
AU304 3.2.12c
For aerodromes without an instrument approach procedure, the alternate minima are the lowest safe altitude for the final route segment plus 500ft and a visibility of 8km
Last edited by tmpffisch; 18th Jun 2011 at 08:18.
Reason: added regs