What is a requirement for flying at night during SDFD operations?

For flying at night during SDFD operations, a minimum requirement of a 700 ft ceiling and 1 mile visibility is crucial to ensure safety and operational effectiveness. These criteria are designed to provide pilots with sufficient vertical space to navigate confidently while also ensuring that they can visually maintain awareness of their surroundings. The 700 ft ceiling allows for adequate clearance from obstacles that may be present in the flight path, while the 1 mile visibility criterion ensures that pilots can see and identify other aircraft, weather conditions, and terrain features that could impact flight safety.

This requirement aligns with typical regulations and standards for night flying, which place a strong emphasis on maintaining controlled flight operations in environments where visibility may be limited. The combination of these criteria helps reduce the risk of accidents and enhances the overall safety of night operations during firefighting or emergency response missions.