Originally Posted by Crab
Tees - exactly what I am getting at - can you fly on instruments below 50 kts or not?
The doppler is just a handy way of confirming that your attitude plus power is giving you the desired performance - ie you are accelerating forward and not drifting laterally but it is not an alternative to selecting the correct attitude in the first place or maintaining a good IF scan.
This. There is a lot on here about the rules, but not much on the lack of SOPs for onshore operations.
The VSI works just fine below VminI as does a doppler meter (if fitted - and I'm not saying that it is essential for a safe zero/zero departure). For that reason, departures from the hover and coupled returns to the hover can be done safely. The safety of these manoeuvres relies on 2 components: Training (SOPs, currency etc) and aircraft fit.
Having only one of the above does not make for safe zero/zero ops. If the regulators have to get involved, then these 2 strands must be considered together.