Hey Chops.
First up good stuff for throwing it out there so you can increase your knowledge about this topic.
I offer the following:
Your initial post starts with the heading that states IFR question and then describes "guys if you are a vfr pilot and happen to find yourself in imc conditions"
This really is the start and finish point to your question. As others have already stated you can't be in IFR (Limited VMC conditions) with a VFR mindset and VFR/GF training.
VFR and IFR are two very different types of operations and ACFT and crews are set up accordingly whether you are FW or RW. How do you avoid being in marginal VMC/IMC?
Answer-It all starts at the pre-flight planning stage. WX, Notams, Certification of ACFT, profficiency, experience, ratings, Rules and regs, Fuel, LSALT etc all need to be applied to the situation
BEFOREyou launch. This will mean some of the time you as the PIC will need to knock back the tasks that will place you and your ACFT in these situations. Folks will not want to hear that they can't proceed on their planned flight or the mission is cancelled due wx, however that is why you are a
PROFESSIONAL AVIATOR, and are paid the big bucks for your COMD Decisions.
A large proportion of accidents/incidents both military and civil result from penetration from VMC into limited VMC/IMC conditions. The folks that become accidents in these situations are the ones with little to no instrument flying training or rating, the ones that are recorded as incidents are either lucky or have the required instrument skills and rating and are able to conduct an IIMC recovery and recover via an instrument app or Radar vector to cloud break etc. Again planning is the key.
You should avoid seeking a formula (recipe type answer) to your question as each situation is different. Take stock of what the pros are telling you and rewind the situation back to the pre-flight planning and pre-launch stage.
If you don't already have an Inst Rating you should consider going and getting one as this will inevitably add to your bag of tricks and will make you more employable in the long run and give you some excellent skills which you may one day need.
Avoid the Recipe/Formula response. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.
IMHO
Give It Some
