CM - It is possible for an aircraft limited to VMC to fly IFR on a RAS, whilst remaining VMC as required by their personal permissions.
Possible, yes. Probable, No.
The whole idea of ATSOCA is a personal contract / agreement between pilot and controller. Coupled with this is the fact that
all civil units now lay down a minimum level at which RAS will be applied. This will often co-incide with the maximum 25 mile MSA. Therefore if it's a nice day, and chummy in a Cub calls me at 2000ft requesting a RAS, the answer is going to be an unequivocal
NO. (I've been asked, believe me, and it's been done!).
If he's above MSA, he's got a transponder and I've got good primary then fine, he'll get his RAS -
BUT - the minute I give avoiding action and he can't take it because it'll put him in cloud I will downgrade to a RIS with the request to inform me when he's back in a position to accept a RAS and all that it entails. It's up to the
pilot to realise the ramifications and limitations of the service he requires and request accordingly.
I lose track of the occasions where I've had to ask for a change of altitude during an airspace transition (usually Brize for some reason) because the altitude I've been asked to fly at is full of cloud and I can't remain VMC. No hassle, but it happens.
This boils down to an understanding of flight rules and what you should do which is lacking in the more inexperienced areas of military ATC. They will tell you, a VFR aircraft, to fly
at a level.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS. Remember my previous comment - "You get one or the other, you don't get both". That's exactly what I'm talking about. The sooner the military adopt civil practice of class 'D' procedures ("Cleared to transit the Brize zone,
not above altitude 2000ft, remain VFR" would be how it should be done, and would be in the civil world) then the problem doesn't arise.
I'm guessing this is going to highlight to you some of the differences between mil and civil. I'm also guessing which side of the operation you've had most problems with - am I right?