Thanks redsnail
I have been teaching and practicing this stuff for many years now and thought I had a pretty good understanding of the AIPs,Orders, etc with regard to alternate requirements and then came a CASA FOI who seemed to have a different way of interpreting them. During my last instrument renewal he posed the scenario that I was flying from A to B at night. B had Wx below the alterante minima and was also serviced by PAL. My understanding was that I needed an alternate regardless of the Wx due lighting, therefore I could plan an alternate that was serviced by PAL provided the Wx was above alternate minima. We were operating as an airwork category flight and we could meet the VHF requirements set out in the AIPs. The FOI claimed that I could NOT use an alternate serviced by PAL in this situation. When I requested him to show me in black and white were this was stipulated, he refused to enter in to any further debate. So now I find myself not quite 100 percent sure that I am correct in my thinking. I dont want to get on the wrong side of the powers to be. Any further thoughts on the matter will be appreciated