But under FAA rules when operating outside the US, you are always bound by the most restrictive of FAA and local regulation.
I’m not sure that’s true when the plane has no ICAO recognized airworthiness certificate.
The distinction is why I mentioned the documented foreign airworthiness limitations and the SFA. Unless a document specific to the individual aircraft says in writing that the aircraft is limited to VFR, and unless the SFA references that foreign airworthiness document I don’t think the limitation on an aircraft operating under an SFA exists in the eyes of FAA because it’s not an ICAO compliant airworthiness document, it is foreign law not covered by a treaty. If the SFA doesn’t mention it, or if the limitation to VFR were for example applied by a blanket prohibition on the airworthiness category in the airspace/country of registration, the foreign limitation would not be relevant.
Yes I know Dan 
My points stand. VFR is a good tool, and for some it is better than for others.
Trying to bring this somehow on-topic.
oh, come on guys (thanks @Peter, and as usual, mostly right @Silvaire), can’t we please go back to the the very good subject of this thread?
@gallois has a very good point, and I’m grateful for these kind of threads.
A similar one is excellent, as published by @aart here.
And it all boils down to this: you can be bitten, passionate, intoxicated, crazy about, plain mad, infected, and ……. (insert any suitable and admitted adjective(s)) about flying, as most of us here are, but the doom clock is ticking. Not this one, but our own… most of the EuroGA people I’ve met in flesh, and quite a few others, are quickly heading towards… the end of their flying… same here 
I used to have a saying: cut my wings and I die
As others in the same age league do, I’ve been preparing for that final flight, voluntary or not.. And as @gallois hints too, there are ways to prolong, right or not, the end. And right now, I think the UL way, the more so in countries way bigger than my place, is a good way to extend that grace period.
PS
And this one of the vague reasons I took up RC flying again… but as fascinating it is, it will for ever only pale in comparison to the being in the real flying machine, and moving the controls (I did not mention activating the pussy device, did I?) so as to experience flight
Dan wrote:
And this one of the vague reasons I took up RC flying again… but as fascinating it is, it will for ever only pale in comparison to the being in the real flying machine, and moving the controls (I did not mention activating the pussy device, did I?) so as to experience flight
I have to admit that having access to this really nice 737 sim literally 5 mins from where I live and mostly whenever I want it, “flying” that has proven a lot more fun than I ever thought it might. Apart from the fact that flying airliners used to by my lost cause all my life and the 737 obviously satisfies that, the main point I see is the totally hassle free environment in which I can operate this thing. No Slots, no FOCA inspections, no CAMO, no unexpected bills which threaten to ruin you, no medical and I can fly the darn thing 24/7 without and NIMBY and other types telling me not to. Also it is much less time intensive than real life flying, so even family and work loaded people can find an hour or two to do their flight in between, which in my case would not even cover the drive from/to the airport.
Once I loose my medical, that is going to be the way I will phase out from flying.
Dan, you living close enough, if you ever want to try it don’t hesitate to give me a shout. (Goes for anyone else too, PM me if you are nearby and fancy coffee or a sim ride)
That would be great Mooney. I wish I lived nearer. I used to have free access to a DA42 flight sim during down time at an ATO but I didn’t get to use it much as again it was too far away.
I often thought thet I should get a really good sim at home and do what you suggest.
But looking at the costs it was cheaper to fly a ULM and it does get me out of the house and meeting people.🙂
It is true that today’s sims have reached very high levels, unthinkable of only a few years ago. I even know of some guys flying taildragger RVs and honing their skills on their private sim.
So yes, as mentioned by @Mooney_Driver above, sims have not only evolved from toy to training devices, but can now provide a good alternative to real flying, the more so if one enjoys video games, oops, meant to write the challenges of IFR flying
And that is certainly a good thing for us in the 60+ group…
OTOH, and again paralleled in the RC world, I’m afraid some potential “analog” pilots are being lost to the benefit of “digital” ones? The advantages of sim flying have been nicely listed by Mooney_Driver, and of course the RC sim will top that by repairing the crashed model in the blink of an eye. For free
for us in the 60+ group…
I would rather stay healthy, and continue flying until I actually can’t I don’t know when it will be; it could be slow or it could be sudden.
When our parents got to 60, they collected their [insert retirement present, usually a clock for the mantlepiece or something else equally distasteful], put slippers on, sat down in an armchair, shoved a pipe up their face, did a bit of gardening (women) or golf (men), complained about immigrants taking the country to the dogs, and died soon after.
Today, 60+ is “young”. I am on my mountain bike and have a constant stream of 60+ bikers (admittedly they are on road bikes which are much faster ) flying past me, in their super aerodynamic mamil outfits
I was also struck by the reference to a ‘60+ group’ as those on the precipice of aging out of flying. Locally 60 is the age where a lot of pilots can start doing the flying they wanted to do earlier, not stop. 70+ can be more of an issue for some, particularly those who might like to move to a more complex aircraft at that age and need to buy hull insurance. Not that many make it past 80.
Am now on the 4 year stress ECG cycle, a small % of the pilot population get this, as it is a class 1 65+ requirement, airline pilots retiring at 65. My next one is at 69. A colleague is still instructing, and instructing aerobatics, at a young ninety years old. My view is that you probably need to have ‘hang up year head set date’ in mind, while you are relatively healthy. Assuming my medicals are OK I expect mine to be around 73-75, inshallah.
My view is that you probably need to have ‘hang up year head set date’ in mind, while you are relatively healthy.
I could see that being a good idea for planning purposes if you derive income from flying, but otherwise I don’t see the reason. Better to monitor your health and quit when nature and the limits of medical technology say so. My problem at that point might be that I won’t want to give up my hangar, and it has to have a plane in it.
A colleague is still instructing, and instructing aerobatics, at a young ninety years old.
That’s awesome and he’s lucky. I have a similar friend who is coming up on 80. He’s flying often, aerobatics added for practice on every flight, but says he’s going to quit at a predetermined age. I wonder whether that will actually happen.
