If a significant number of permit aircraft were being flown in IMC with uncertified systems then the accident rate for LAA aircraft would be higher than for similar accidents in C of A aircraft
Not if
a) you use a decent GPS (which most VLA pilots do), and
b) you never try flying close to the ground (e.g. an approach)
Enroute, and icing aside (not a problem anyway as much of the VLA crowd flies little in winter, or high enough) IMC is quite safe.
I have a JAA IR and a huge pile more hours than IO does and I tour extensively
Well, Mr Bose Big Man, I have nearly 1000hrs which is way more than the average PPL
ever reaches before chucking it in for good, and I was doing 150/year when I had just a PPL+IMCR, so if you have 10,000 hours all well and good but not really relevant to the argument because one ends up debating the very last 0.1% or so.
It is also no use an IR pilot saying that purely-VFR touring is possible because he is adopting a very different attitude from the start. I might do a VFR flight to say Calais but if I hear the wx there is OVC008 (unforecast, presumably, otherwise I would have gone IFR) I just request an IFR clearance and an ILS without even pausing for a breath. A VFR pilot cannot do this, and last time I did it (Caen) there was quite a panic to be heard on the French frequency from all the other Brits going VFR to LTQ etc because the bad wx was quite widespread along the coast.
An IMCR pilot cannot do this outside the UK but he can do it in the UK, and he can also fly VMC on top VFR worldwide (which is really vital for European VFR touring) and very importantly he can leave behind all that ridiculous compass+stopwatch crap and use his radio nav capability which completely transforms the certainty in 'going places'.
It would also be interesting to see how the number of instructors qualified to teach the IMC rating has changed over the same time span? My perception is that there are far fewer around than there use to be.
That is a curious one. I thought that anybody with an fATPL can teach the IMCR - such an FI will have done the CPL/IR after all.
What activities with "interesting females around" exactly ?? (and where?)
Helicopters is the only 'flying' activity I can think of, but it has to be a turbine one (sorry). And you have to fly her (or them
) to posh country hotels in France. It's an awfully expensive way to get la*d.
Outside flying, I am reliably informed that swimming pool attendants do very well.
Motor racing, powerboat racing, anything to do with sailing (but not too serious sailing and only when it's warm).