Originally Posted by r44driver
Hopefully commonsense will prevail regarding this.
IMC is not the place for single engine helicopters.
The Private category IFR thing has been exploited a bit in Australia with the B206 and amazingly without major incident but to suggest flying the R44 under IFR in IMC sends shivers down my spine.
Totally agree. However, about three weeks ago, having climbed into a solid overcast about 1500 feet, we were IMC at 2400 feet under the London TMA and obtaining a RIS from Heathrow. We got a TCAS target off to our left simultaneous with a warning of traffic in that position from ATC. As there was no mode C and he was not talking to Radar we assumed the aircraft would be VMC below cloud.
In the event, my co-pilot saw an R-44 pass close by in cloud, an estimated 200 feet below. Someone out there is already pushing his luck.