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.
The PIFR is about as cheap as it gets.
As a CIRSEA holder since 1987 I dropped back to PIFR in 2010 and have done biennial renewals/reviews at SHT on the MNG VOR and SHT NDB with the flight school and biennial cost was under $500
Providing you practice your recency faithfully there is no issue in staying current.
As for VFR into IFR imo its the guys who tell you IFR is crap who are the ones who always push the elements.
And they always make a point they think we ifr guys are arrogant idiots always pushing them out if the way.
Wierd attitude.
Getting to IFR from VFR in view of a recent local quote I got fir a bfr review of $1000 is probably going to die a death like the hapless souls who fly controlled into high terrain probably on their gos dead in track.