IMC Radio Messages
Please dont reply to this telling me I am not qualified etc etc because the "IMC is a get me home rating blah blah blah". I am interested in specific help. I intend to use my IMC until there is a viable IFR rating for the private pilot and I intend to do regular practice which I believe makes me safer than an IFR qualified pilot who hardly ever flies.
For background I have recently passed my IMC rating (10 IMC hours ago) and Night Rating to add to my long held VFR licence. I fly a Bonanza A36 that is very well equipped and I know how to work the equipment!
I was returning from Scotland yesterday and after a bumpy ride up there VFR which made one of the kids sick I decided to go VFR on-top for the return journey. I climbed VFR through a hole and levelled off at Flight level 80 which was the correct quadrantal and was talking to Scottish Info and had a radar service.
During the conversation he asked "are you VFR or IFR" so I replied IFR and that was that. I got an excellent service that kept me clear of Prestwick and did an approach into Blackpool. The flight was super smooth and in sunshine.
This has happened to me twice recently when lfying IMC.
My question is what should my answer have been. Should I have said
I am IFR
I am VFR on-top
I am VFR India Mike Charlie
or something else. Several people have told me several different things but I am still unsure. Like everything in flying there are so many things to learn that I may have missed this during my training so I would appreciate your pprune posters sharing your wisdom with me.