On Mar 19, 10:47*pm, Roger wrote:
On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:31:54 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:
Even if it is pitch black outside, and you see nothing whatsoever
beyond your plane, and you need to fly by reference to instruments in
order to stay upright, you can still be in VFR conditions.

Which is the very reason it's not allowed in some countries.
If the pilot has to rely only on the instruments then he/she is
essentially IMC . Whether the visibility is 5 or 100 miles as it might
as well be zero.

Except for purposes of seeing (and being seen by) other aircraft.

Anyway, just keeping the plane upright by reference to instruments is
a very small part of the instrument curriculum. And it's also in the
private pilot curriculum. Sadly, though, many pilots do seem to
attempt night VFR flight without having maintained their core
instrument-flying proficiency.