I've just perused the latest crash comic. Page 60, IFR operation in Class E.
VFR-on-top
Intriguing.
The VFR-on-top diagram has a neat ATC-pilot dialogue pane. From what I can gather, the aircraft is at nine thousand (assuming standard hemispherical IFR level) and wants to climb above the cloud layer. ATC clears him to a non-hemispherical IFR level of FL120. When in VMC, the pilot reports, "VFR-on-top, FL115" and ATC responds "maintain VFR-on-top".
Never any reference to a clearance to a specific VFR level by ATC.
Intriguing.
VFR climb and descent.
The diagram shows the little C210P? at nine thousand, and he wants FL110. He can't wait for a positive passing with the opposite direction DHC8 that's full of fare paying passengers, all expecting that AsA and CASA will keep them safe. In the example, the Dash 8 is traffic "...one zero thousand, 12 o'clock, 7 miles". I figure, with the closing rates, positive passing will occur in a little over one minute. But Bloggs can't wait. So up he goes at a thousand foot a minute.
The Dash 8 crew have got a small hope of seeing him. The front on profile of the C210P is difficult to pick up in the background haze, and below the nose. It's early morning and obviously at Bloggs' level he's eastbound and into the sun. He's turned around to stop the kids from fighting and is only alerted by their pointing fingers and gaping mouths at the beautiful big plane, filling the windscreen.
Is all this worth it for a piddling one minute's wait?
The Regulator says this is OK.
But it's not OK if I can't produce my license/medical on demand at the console, because it's in the draw three feet away.
Now, that is UNSAFE.
CG