The only people who you have to convince are the national aviation authorities and their representatives at EASA level plus a few pilot organisations. Convincing a pilot from Bordeaux will make no difference but if you can convince the French licensing officer then it is unlikely that French pilots are going to object.
Unfortunately you are wrong.
In the UK there is hardly a pilot who would not like to see the IMC rating retained.
Most thought AOPA UK, PPL IR and the other rep. organisation would back them to the hilt.
We were all wrong on that count.
In fact the UK pilots have so far been backed by the UK IMC campaign (
www.ukimc.org), the CAA and EASA - how is that for a turn up for the books.
EASA have fully taken on board the ground swell of support in the UK thanks to our campaign, all credit to them and the CAA for doing so.
In Europe the European Pilots Association didnt back the IMC. Why? Who knows, they dont reply to correspondence. BALPA support the IMC rating but they are only one member.
French pilots I feel want the IMC rating - they certainly do once they understand it.
So, Europe is a bit like here, the pilots will want the IMC rating once they know what it is about. Fortunatley many of the European pilots association will also want the IMC rating. They arent the problem. The issue is people like the EPA but if they dont even have the courtesy to reply to correspondence it will ultimately be us, the pilots, that let EASA know the IMC rating is a very good thing for Europe.