Originally Posted by
Musician
Where is the point when you say to yourself, "no use looking outside any more, time to go on instruments"? And not having flight following means you need to look out for traffic, right?
As soon as you are no longer in VMC, or as the FAA puts it, "at the onset of IMC."
There have been a number of posts in this thread where pilots have shared their experiences with Inadvertent IMC/Unintentional IMC.
Even if you get on the gages immediately, it is easy to be/get behind the aircraft and be catching up if you enter IMC before you expect to.
Jim Eli a few pages back cited some FAA material on that topic.
According to the FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook, at the onset of IIMC:
“…pick a heading known to be free of obstacles and maintain it. This will likely be the heading you were already on, which was planned and briefed.”
“Try to avoid immediately turning 180°. Turning around is not always the safest route and executing a turn immediately after UIMC may lead to spatial disorientation.
If a 180° turn is the safest option, first note the heading you are on then begin the turn to the reciprocal heading, but only after stable flight is achieved…”
As to
Originally Posted by
Musician
And not having flight following means you need to look out for traffic, right?
If you just flew into the goo, just how much traffic do you expect to see, Musician?