Anyone reading this thread would be wise to heed the advice of some of the more experienced folks on here, Jellycopter, Crab, Paco, SND,Sasless to name but a few.
Nothing I say here is in reference to the sad events in Yorkshire that cost a pilot his life, but in relation to the comments about IIMC flight.
IIMC kills, tried it once, nearly 20 years ago, did as I had been trained to do (180 degree turn) and it nearly killed me, Hughes500’s point about where it happens being the big issue, a 180 turn on instruments at low level trying to cross a ridge, nearly had me coming together with a 2-300ft tall antenna which I knew was there, but once in cloud didn’t know precisely where.....
You cannot crash into the rule book, you may get prosecuted for climbing, but even that is doubtful, it would be a brave person who would try to send that message to the aviation community (certainly in the UK).
ChopJock, I sometimes admire your ability to incite debate on the forum, but on occasion it is better to listen than offer under informed / experienced opinion, perhaps now is one of those times, who knows? Not a personal dig, take it for what it is.
As for the go down slow down concept once low level IMC , shortly after the very sad Brazilian wedding IMC video became public and lots of us had watched it, I became intrigued as to the bank angle and string combination very near the end. About two weeks later I put a good friend of mine in the sim (experienced VFR guy) and set up him for the same kind of scenario, I was amazed that his company had adopted a wings level, slow down go down approach to IIMC at low level, so I let it develop. Most of us steer with our feet at low speed, but for various sensible reasons attitude IF is taught at a reasonable rate of knots, feet being used for balance, once he got down below about 30kts it all fell apart very quickly and trying to stop a heading change with bank stopped working and we ended looking at the same picture in the Brazil video, heavily banked , no indicated airspeed , turning , not unexpectedly and not too soon after we hit the ground. Yes it’s just a sim, but the method did not work and we had no wires hedges, chimneys to contend with.
5 hours IF training in the PPL syllabus is often taught by instructors with no IF experience (been there done that, no disrespect meant), covering screens makes it more realistic, but its not like being in cloud, with the turbulence and often natural desire for the helicopter to climb.
Given a servicable helicopter that is the right way up, with servicable instruments, appropriate training and currency, yes low speed IF is possible, the UK military (so I am told) teach towering IF departures, and their method saved my skin once when I had windows freeze over at lowish level departing a well known and well surrounded helicopter landing site in Cornwall one clear winters morning, indeed had Jellycopter and I not discussed the technique some time the previous year I may well have made a smoking hole in the ground....
Good advice above about treating cloud like rock, simple and to the point.
If you are not qualified, current or you don’t have a helicopter certified for IFR flight, please for the sake of your loved ones STAY OUT OF CLOUD.