Nigel,
What you are suggesting is foolish (not to mention illegal); only helicopters that have been certificated for flight in IMC (or assessed and approved in accordance with equivalent safety criteria) should be flown (deliberately) into cloud. Certification (in accordance with Appendix B of Parts 27/29) is concerned mainly with stability and handling qualities, instrumentation and limitations. These rules are provided to ensure safety not as a challenge to risk takers. All of us are aware that one of the main causes of (mainly fatal) accidents is loss of control due to lack of visual cues. As an experienced aviator you would be better employed in persuading less experienced aviators to avoid such circumstances not convince them that they should seek experience by deliberately challenging the limitations of themselves and/or their machines.
As an aside, what would happen if, after being frightened by a bad experience, a pilot sued a fellow pilot, instructor or training establishment?
I know that to achieve effect in communication, some feel it necessary to exaggerate (and I do not exclude myself from that principle). However, to make a statement in an open forum (when your identity and company may be known) that you (may) have deliberately operated below limits is somewhat incautious. At the very least, it draws attention to you and the other crew members on your flight and may be used against you (immediately, or later when command or future employment is under discussion - remember this is a small industry).
Offshore shuttling limits are contained in Appendix 1 to JAR-OPS 3.465; they were provided by experienced pilots and are based upon years of experience in the North Sea environment. To remind you of some of the limits; Minima for flying
between helidecks located in Class G airspace:
- the operating height by day shall not be less than 300ft (and the cloud base shall be such as to allow that)
- Two pilot minimum visibility shall not be less than 2K unless one of the structures is continuously visible (i.e. can be seen in the normal FOV)
Crew room banter is one thing; open discussion in a CRM session is another; broadcasting on an open forum is quite different.
Jim