Originally Posted by
Falcon99
Back in the 1960's I wrote to the then Department, and suggested that at the completion of the Private Pilot Licence flight test the applicant be placed under the hood and be required to make a 180 degree turn without losing altitude. After entering the probable spiral dive the hood could be removed when the examiner considered control had been lost and any continuation would result in an accident. The examiner could reinforce the lesson to be learned after the flight and the new Private Pilot would have seen first hand the results of flight into IMC.
This suggestion was obviously not considered to be very helpful as I never heard of it being implemented and I never had a response from the Department.
I agree a simpler and cheaper IFR rating would help.
Unless, of course if your shiny new PPL were to get lucky and perform the 180 perfectly with no loss of control or altitude then all you have done is reinforce to him/her that they can cheerfully fly into IMC because they’ve mastered the 180 under the hood.
IFR flying for PPLs work in the USA works because of near universal radar coverage, a particularly helpful ATC and good weather reporting and forecasting. None of which is found here.