Greetings all,
I think the whole point relates to arbitrary planning rules.....like 8 - 6 ????? - What if you wanted/needed to get there at 0759 - or depart at 1801?
If the operator is IFR/NVFR or Mercy flight or on a magic carpet, whatever they still would breach "council" planning rules by operating to the hospital out of hours........no matter what flight rules they operate under.
It's a dumb rule and should be scorned by the community served by the hospital as well as the aviation industry. Mind you, in the Australian context there were ongoing complaints about the establishment of the helipad at the "The Alfred" trauma centre. From neighbors up to 1 km distant.
Yeesh.
DD