So do folk really consider flying IMC in SEP to be hazardous, does anybody have or know where stats might be found for this.
Some of the earlier posts stated that IMC at night is considered particularly hazardous in SEP aircraft. So do folks geneally think this is slightly more risky than normal or the GA equivalent of russian roulette ?
bigbloke,
Here's the received wisdom regarding SEP IMC:
When flying a single-engined a/c, the biggest risk in the cruise is engine failure, 'cos you're going to be on the ground in between 1-2 minutes. If you're VMC during the day and at a reasonable height, then you have a chance of choosing a reasonable landing site, such that you survive. If you're flying IMC, then the inference is that you're at the same height that you would fly VMC if the weather was better, therefore if you have engine failure you're going to glide in cloud to a lower height before you can see to land, reducing your choice of landing site.
Now, at night even if you can see the stars, moon, lit roads etc, then you still can't see a suitable landing site - there's the old saw about a forced landing at night, when close to the ground 'turn on the landing light. If you don't like what you see, turn it off again'. Again, the received wisdom is that if IMC, you're making the situation just that much worse.
Personally, I think that flying SEP at night doesn't FEEL any more risky than during the day, though I'm more careful about weather minima, I don't like being IMC at night, in fact I've always avoided it. What I do, though, is carefully plan the flight to make full use of radio nav-aids and GPS rather than just bimlbe about, as one tends to do during the day. Frequent FREDA checks are also a risk-mitigator. There's no night VFR in the UK, just IFR, in other words, remain 1,000' above any object within 5NM of track, except when landing and taking off.
The IMC rating isn't about blasting off in rotten weather. It's about learning properly the limitations of flying SEP in marginal wx and how to avoid situations beyond your and the a/c's capabilities.
In extremis, it's also a get-you-home service if the wx does turn worse than the forecast.
So, yes, PPL SEP can be a useful business tool, provided you always have Plan 'B'. The IMC rating will make you a 'safer' pilot, in my view. Go for it!
Cheers,
TheOddOne