Originally Posted by IO540
Longbow55
You don't need ATC clearance to descend "below clouds", here or in the USA.
In the USA, FAR something.something appears to prohibit an instrument approach other than a published one. In the UK there is no such rule (yet).
But if you happen to be able to do a visual approach from some level which you can get an IFR clearance to fly
at then obviously you can then land under VFR. You can call this a DIY instrument approach with a MSA of 1000ft AGL or more
Or you can call it "cancelling IFR". Same thing.
In the UK this is a bit of a non event anyway because in Class G you won't normally be receiving a radar control service so you can fly under own navigation as you wish. The only case I know of of a RCS in G is a low level letdown which is basically a radar vectored descent over a surveyed bit of ground, down to 1000ft AGL, but even then you can ask to switch to own navigation at any time.
The question then becomes: how low will you go? Flying
at the MSA (or your MOCA; I have the FAA IR too) gives you an IAP with a DH of 1000ft - not unreasonable over open flat country. Of course Americans have never discovered this
It all gets much more tricky if trying to get below say OVC005.
IO540, Not to argue because I don't want to. but if you are flying VFR and flying under VFR rules(FAA Only I am talking about), you must stay clear of clouds, that is in Part 91, even under SVFR same applies. it happens in the states, and the control centers help the pilots down, and there are some that just descend anyhow. Now I kinda like the idea what you talked about in the UK. and if I ever have to do that, the sectional will come out and see were the obstructions are. I do agree with the Class -G airspace, pretty much the same inthe states for rules. but you can get radarflight following in there if work load is not to high for the controller.
Now I just read somewhere, Can't remember, that the different ICAO states are trying to make the rules and regs equal, so if you fly in Europe, UK, US you know what the rules are. This is new info for myself, maybe old for some others.