"...Under JAR-FCL-1 the difference between flight under IFR and flight by sole reference to instruments is only relevant to low-hour pilots who want to instruct IF!"
I don't doubt that this is factually accurate, however, being in clouds with stuff going on that requires that you actually fly an airplane by reference to the instruments as opposed to pressing buttons and looking at the scenery, is a skill that we, as professional pilots who are entrusted with the lives of our passengers are expected to possess. It stands to reason that the rationale behind logging instrument time (given SNS's revelation) is to document that you have actually done this on occasion.
Flying a 182 full of parachutists up to 15000 and trying to beat them back to the ground under visual conditions 10 times in an afternoon exercises none of the skills relevant to instrument flying other than talking to ATC and existing in airspace in which, apparently, you have to "be IFR".
Last edited by 421dog; 9th Aug 2009 at 02:19.
Reason: typo