Bookworm,
You described an IFR flight operation. Totally irrelevant to a VFR flight. Thanks for doing that because it highlights the fact that you ( and it seems many others) can't tell the difference between the requirements for IFR flights and those for a VFR flight - (check the weather, determine that IMC does not exist, carry enough fuel for A to B and a final reserve).
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One last time.
The rules of the Air require that you before flight check the actual and forecast weather to determine if IMC conditions exist on the route you plan to fly.
The ANO requires that a pilot must establish that the flight can be safely completed as planned.
Everyone with me so far or does anyone disagree with the above?
So you plan to fly from A to B that is what you plan to do........no more and no less. There is no other plan.
You check the weather and you have decided that there is IMC weather along that route.
IMC conditions on a VFR route mean that the route can not be legally completed as planned
If you still depart on that route as planned despite having decided that IMC conditions exist then you have not ensured the safety of the flight.
You may have to read the VMC criteria, the requirement to establish if IMC exists, the requirement to determine that the flight can be completed safely and the requirement to not recklessly endanger the flight or others to gather together the legal requirements.
However, every pilot trained in the UK was well aware of the requirements at the time they took part in the skill test. At that time they knew that if they were given a route and the weather indicated that such a route would be IMC but despite that they planned to depart anyway then they would at best have the test stopped (with a quiet word in their ear) or the test would be recorded as a fail.
Would it be wrong to fail a pilot for planning to depart VFR on a route that is through IMC?
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Where do you guys draw the line?
In your mind is it OK to depart from A to B if it is IMC along the planned route;
10 miles from the departure point?
5 miles from the departure point?
1 mile from the departure point?
at 190 ft just before you enter a 200ft ceiling?
Seems many here think it is perfectly legal for a VFR pilot to depart VFR on a route with terrain above 400ft and a ceiling of 200ft because they can always............continue, hold wait the weather, divert, fly in circles and so on?
Finally, Bookworm, I can guarantee you that on an initial IR flight test, you can start the engines when the weather is below minima for landing at destination, you can even taxi, you can even obtain your departure clearance and you can line-up. ATC will pass your take-off clearance and you canadvance the throttles towards take-off power at which point the examminer's hand will smoothly close the throttles - and you know you have failed
So perhaps it is not a training issue. It is simply a willingless to push the limits and to be the opposite of risk-adverse.
Regards,
DFC