First: I guess there is a misunderstanding of EIR in such discussions: executing the privileges of EIR requires an IFR equipped and certified plane. There is no way to take a VFR-only airplane into IMC by this.
Second: Yes, there is a certain risk that people transfer typical VFR "there will be a hole in the clouds over my destination" thinking to EIR and take more risk than b4. But, thy will sit in an IFR plane and if they can't handle that FIS will help'em.
The benefit for EIR is clearly not for the typical sunday traffic-circle bagger, but it may bring back the joy of flying cross country, an art which the younger ones seem to have forgotten by fear.
Last edited by ChickenHouse; 29th June 2014 at 18:33.