On 29 Jan 2006 11:17:44 -0800, wrote:

Ron:

I wrote the chief counsel's office about fifteen years ago on this
issue of logging "black hole time" after a long dispute about it on
AVSIG.
They sent me a copy of the above - supporting my position that the
criterion was "solely by reference to instruments" as opposed to "IMC"
for the logging of instrument time.

Reminds me of a time flying VFR over the top at night and the
controller asking my flight visibility. I said about 250,000 miles.
After the silence, I said that all I could see was the moon.


I've certainly experienced black hole time. I recall departing KPVC (on
Cape Cod) one overcast night in the winter. It was clearly VMC, but until
I got close to the shoreline N of BOS, I would not have been able to
control the airplane without reference to instruments.

I'll have to remember your celestial visibility comment, though. But if I
can see the stars, do I report in miles or light years? :-))


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)