Shawn
Agree.
My 2-cents, again.
I think the biggest and most beneficial hurdle is just getting operators to transition to a requirement that an IFR flying standard, and currency in such, be met by all HEMS pilots, irrespective of the helicopter they fly.
Currently, at many if not all HEMS operations, those pilot's flying VFR-only machines get a six month check to assess ability to recover from inadvertent IMC. That does not exactly breed confidence, or willingness, in one's ability to exercise prudent professional beahior by intentionally climbing in to IMC to avoid the dangers of scud running when that environment becomes an inadvertent fact.
As we know most operators do allow pilots extra flying time between checks to get hood time. That could be put to further use in meeting such a standard.
My thought is a 135.297 instrument check, with provisos for flying a non-IFR certificated machine, could at least be a company level training and checking solution for VFR HEMS operations, and obviously legal one for those flying IFR.
To me this is a natural place to start and should be somewhat easy and cost-effective to implement as most required elements appear to be in place.
The idea would certainly have follow-on benefits when the industry finally realizes that IFR has to be part of the solution to the accident rate.
Thanks.
WIII