I dont think I have (taken the wrong context). I dont see that it is brave operating on the wrong side of the recommendations for the reasons I gave earlier. I did a flight recently with a pilot with an IMC who flew regularly. The sector back was in VMC above a shallow cloudbase - which had hung around in the south east for a couple of weeks. The descent was through a couple of thousand feet of IMC becoming visual on the ILS a little below the IMC recommended limits. The approach was flown perfectly. I didnt think the pilot was brave - he was operating well within his personal limits and and quite entitled to have flown the approach. There was no indication with an IR whether or not something had gone wrong during the approach he would have performed any differently.
Fuji
You have to consider the advisability of flying the regular club spam can single in serious IMC regardless of the pilots ability.
Too often a 600 foot cloud base becomes 200 feet, 1800 metre vis becomes 800 metre vis at the drop of a hat.
The question should be whether an IMCR pilot in the usual spam can should be flying in that sort of weather. The answer has to be NO!
he is then faced with a missed approach and diversion and all the stress that will add to a minimally trained pilot with a poorly although legally IFR equipt aircraft or busting recommended limits and flying to levels that he is not properly trained to do.
May I also add the IMCR student having also been examined for an IMCR by pilots whos standards and expectations vary are not qualified to examine to IR standards and expectations.
While I appreciate there are pilots who have flown for donkeys years in capable aircraft on an IMCR and who have a lot of experience I think it is dangerous to Promote in general the IMCR as some sort of instrument rating which it is not and was not intended to be.
There is the added danger of perception that lesser experienced pilots will see the IMCR as a fly in most conditions rating and that could put them into a real mess situation. Weather is very fickle and changeable.
The rest of the JAA states do not acknowlege the IMCR and the training is NOT to the standards of an IR or the tolerances required for an IR.
Whether there should be a JAA approved mini IR for PPL holders which is more easely achievable could bring up another thread as I feel that would be a good move forward but the IMCR is not that and was never intended to be an IR in disguise. It was designed to be a get you out of trouble rating for inadvertant entry into IMC conditions.
Pace