Special VFR for charter

[Heliringer]

Following a chat with a friend the question is: Can you go on a charter flight in Special VFR conditions when you know the other end is Special VFR aswell?

is it there to be used in all circumstances?
or is it there to be used when you have inadvertantly been caught out by weather?
We have been looking at the weather near the Gulf looks quite bad.
Cheers

[oldrotorhead]

The AIP is pretty clear...... Firstly, you are getting confused between "Special VFR" and "Helicopter VMC". Special VFR is simply a reduction in the normal VMC criteria which may be given to you in a clearance, normally by a Tower Controller, (but could be Approach) on request by you, . On the other hand, Helicopter VMC is available to all helicopters, carte blanche. ie; by day, OCTA, (ie Class G), provided you are at or below 700 AGL and clear of cloud, vis not less than 800m and make broadcasts in accordance with the AIP requirements. Don't have an AIP close handy to give you the exact reference but it's easy to find (ENR1.2 I think from memory). Anyway, the answer to your fundamental question is yes, it is OK for a Charter helicopter to use Helicopter VMC.
Cheers

[oldrotorhead]

Further to the original question, if "the other end" is "Special VFR" you would have to consider the alternate requirements which, for a helicopter able to use Helicopter VMC at its destination, are 1000ft ceiling and vis 3km. That brings to mind the age old question (and argument) of what constitutes a suitable alternate for a helicopter in these circumstances? Whereas aeroplanes must have an alternate which itself does not require an alternate, it could be argued that a helicopter's alternate might be anywhere underneath it suitable for a safe landing. I dunno the real answer to that but in forty odd years of doing it now, common sense has always been the solution for me at the end of the day!

[SilsoeSid]

Interesting to see that phrase, 'the other end is SVFR'

That is a big assumption that the controller will allow it to happen, as normally only one SVFR aircraft will be allowed in a zone at any given time. So if someone else is there, you'll have to hold outside of 'the other end'.

Remember, in Shoot weather....Shoot happens!
Just because there are minimums, you don't have to use them.

How many people have I heard say, "Yea, I have no probs telling my boss the weather is too bad to go"..........Really!

[Helinut]

Remember that the rules for when you can and must use SVFR vary quite a lot between countries

[Life's a Beech]

How would a helicopter ever get to Jersey otherwise?

[SilsoeSid]

...or any VFR aircraft!













( I think the original post suggested SVFR due to weather)

[John Eacott]

Since Heliringer is asking from Australia, I think that oldrotorhead has pretty well answered the question

The good old flight plan alternate designator used to be "AOS": any open space