I’ve had a question that’s been eating away at me for a while and was just wanting to see if I could get a sanity check regarding TAFs and alternate aerodromes.

My understanding for weather requirements according to the mos is that we need authorised weather forecasts/reports for:

(i) the route to be flown; and
(ii) the departure aerodrome, the planned destination aerodrome and any planned alternate aerodrome;


In terms of the airport, I know for IFR we can utilise a GAF instead of a TAF provided there are no instrument approaches and it’s above alternate minima.

5) For subparagraph (1) (a) (ii), for an IFR flight to a planned destination aerodrome without an IAP, or with 1 or more IAPs none of which a pilot is able to conduct, the authorised weather forecasts must be the following:
(a) for the planned destination aerodrome — an aerodrome forecast, an ICAO landing forecast, or a GAF or a GAMET area forecast;

Where I’m getting confused is with:

3) If the forecast for the planned destination aerodrome required by
subparagraph 7.02 (1) (a) (ii) is not available then the pilot in command of an aircraft must nominate a destination alternate aerodrome.

Am I right in saying that a VFR flight to an airport that is not served by a TAF requires an an alternate no matter what whereas a IFR flight to the same airport (assuming no IAP) can utilise a GAF and not provide an alternate (assuming it’s above alternate minima)

Thanks

This is PPL stuff.
Have a look at VFRG, Chapter 2.
vfrg.casa.gov.au