Helicopter flights were permitted under the visual flight rules in dark night conditions, which are effectively the same as instrument meteorological conditions, but without the same requirements for autopilots and similar systems that are in place for conducting flights under the instrument flight rules.
The ATSB is satisfied that the work by CASA to finalise and make CASR 133.571 will, when implemented, reduce the risk of helicopter operations at night involving commercial passenger transport. In the case of non-passenger-transport operations under the night VFR, the lack of a requirement for an autopilot or alternately a two-pilot crew increases the residual risk of aerial work and private flights. This reinforces the importance of ATSB safety recommendation AO-2011-102-SR-59.
