or that actually it is a 'badge' and is not used by as many as who actually claim?
While this may well be true, it is a badge worth having, just as some swimming "personal survival" badge is...you have it, but hope you never need it to some
Actually, when I did the IR back in 2002, I rememebr thinking that after 15 hours I felt that there was NO WAY I'd venture into the clag on my own. After 45 or so I felt reasonably confident but still pretty nervous. The day after my mate got his IR we flew to stay with my brother-in-law in San Diego. The next day my mate had a date with the "fuel girl" up in LA and in typical fashion the weather was !!!!e. Down to minimums, frontal weather,rain, wind, you name it. He went and I bottled out
He made it alive, and the fuel girl stood him up
Still, it showed that his training prepared him for the flight, but he didn't mind admitting that he was shi++ing himself at times, and you can imagine that had something gone wrong it could be a receipie for disaster.
However, 5 years on it is a different matter. We know when NOT to fly, and when it is safe to do so. Our envelopes have also opened up so we WILL fly in worse weather but only if it is safe.
The same can be said of the IMCr. After 15 hours, no one is competent to fly "IFR" as in the airways, on a long cross country IMHO. However, these same IMCr pilots after XX hours "actual" are probably as safe as many IR pilots and probably safer than many, they just don't have the paperwork.
That is my view of the IMCr....a worthwhile rating which if used as a get out of jail free card, may just save your bacon. If used as a "mini" IR then this is ok so long as the experience is there to back up the lack of paperwork....if you get my drift.