Whirly
I don't think I ever said, and certainly didn't mean to say, that lack of instrument currency is not a problem. In fact, to the annoyance of many here, I have often made the point that this is the biggest enemy of the IMC Rating, and the schools don't tell you this when they take your money; they don't explain that you need a budget to fly at least double the UK PPL annual hours (which I gather is itself about 10-20hrs/year) not to mention the problems in getting into something suitable for it.
However, instrument flying to the extent required to fly and navigate straight and level is not at all hard. You could teach a 10 year old child to do it in no time at all - use the AI, the altimeter and fly a heading. What makes instrument training so brain numbing is the sheer workload during the training; you don't get a moment's rest and then the examiner fails one instrument after another and then he gets you to fly a VOR approach with a circle to land... etc etc In comparison instrument flight on a hazy summer day is a piece of cake.
The aircraft equipment does make a difference too, even though it is not "proper" to say that. Even a simple autopilot (wings level + heading hold) cuts down cockpit workload by perhaps 90%. And a decent GPS makes navigation a piece of cake.
gcolyer
"attitude indicator" is the correct term nowadays I think, but "horizon" or "artificial horizon" is what it always used to be called and still is called by many.
Your example about closing one's eyes is unsuprising - a 25000hr pilot would be out of control within seconds if he did that.
Peoples' susceptibility varies though. I almost never get leans or anything like that myself but then my sense of balance is rubbish. I think that people who can stand on one leg while doing up their shoelaces and do this with their eyes shut will probably suffer worst from instrument flight.