IO540
Yes, you are absolutely correct.
In fact you only have to read these forums to understand our complete obsession with the smallest detail of the legislation - and perhaps more to the point, ways around the legislation. You also only have to read these forums to see that a few take every opportunity to point out that clearly the pilot is inadequately qualified for the task in hand unless he is a “professional” pilot with a CPL and IR - of the JAA complexion of course - as you know you really don’t measure up with your FAA IR!
Whether or not this is a peculiarly British disease or a peculiar disease of British aviators I am not sure. It is not something I experience in the wider world to any significant degree. Of course it is widely reported the Germans are worse than us, but I couldn’t possibly comment.
Just look at this thread - everyone wanting to dissect the minutest detail of whether or not the pilot should have accepted a special VFR departure, even in circumstances when they have absolutely do idea what the weather was like just outside the ATZ and on the route the pilot proposed to take.
With regards the pilots willingness to enter cloud I also agree with you that pilots are infrequently taught to think for themselves to such an extent that they will follow every procedure and every instruction to the nth degree.
It amazes me that a pilot would enter cloud because he was told to do so, in the same way that anyone would jump off a building if told to do so! However it shouldn’t amaze me, because I can relate to this pilot.
Not long after I finished my PPL I recall flying with my fast jet mate. As we trundled downwind there was some low cloud ahead. It had been drummed into to me so many times that I should stay at circuit height in the correct place in the circuit that there I was trundling into the cloud. Of course we had an interesting chat after the flight. Some years after there I was in the same situation with a mate of mine with low cloud in the “normal” base leg position. My mate had a more than a good few hours. As it was clear we were shortly to enter the cloud with some unsuspecting hills and a mast beneath I asked what he intended to do next.
It seems a trap many can fall into and clearly it is an even better set trap when it appears that someone in “authority” is telling you to do so. In that respect there is another lesson to be taken from this report and well learned - don’t enter cloud unless you know what is in side it, and then only if you are certain you can fly the aircraft in it!!