Are we talking about the ability to fly by sole reference to instruments or are we talking about about flying IFR? A pilot who is well versed and well trained to fly on instruments is surely just as good at doing that if he has an IMCR or an IR.
WorkingHard
you quote well trained! How can you be well trained to fly IFR to a minimal standard of the IMCR? The IMCR is a very basic instrument training platform which no way approaches the levels of competancy required for the IR JAA or FAA.
To then quote that a pilot who is only competant to fly IFR in controlled airspace but incompetant out of controlled airspace is rubbish.
Many procedures especially out of the UK are pilot flown and not by radar vectors. In the UK not all IFR flight remains in controlled airspace and maybe partially in and out of controlled airspace.
Pace