Using the IMC abroad..

[Fuji Abound]

I made some extremely stupid decisions that day, but I am not normally a stupid person. I posted the story because it is a real life example of how having an IMCr can seduce you into a dangerous spiral of ever-more irrational decision making. Without in any way seeking to condone what I did, the additional pressures of flying single-pilot IFR in a typical club rental aircraft are not conducive to clarity of thought when the difficult choices have to be made.

.. and thank you for the post, no criticism intended.

I would add one qualifier. Your post could be construed to relate specifically to the IMCr but (and I appreciate that is the topic we are debating). it does apply to anything. Many of us did some pretty stupid things when we first got our PPL (not involving clouds), or our driving licence or what ever. The IMC rating is no different in what it can and cant seduce you into doing if you allow it to do so.

Some might say it doesnt teach you enough about instrument flying to know your limits and / or it doesnt teach you to fly on instruments but only get out of trouble on instruments (or into trouble ). Would they possibly be the same people who believe the FAA IR has no place in Europe, or those who would argue that while the IMCr legally enables you to fly an approach to the published minima you have no business doing so or might it even be the same folk that think the JAA IR gives you everything you need to fly IFR around Europe from the off. Are these the same people that would far rather a tiny percentage of GA pilots in Europe held an instrument rating while the rest occasionally killed themselves? Thank God for the wisdom of our own beloved CAA and the FAA on this one and may the Devil deal with EASA in the fullness of time.