I wonder how many peopler have been "saved" by an IMC rating but don't appear in the stats as a result....?

Here is an interesting one - I departed North Wales last summer. Weather was 2.5k -3k broken, tops at about 4.5-5k. So we climbed through a hole on top to 7.5k. It was beautiful up there, smooth, no other traffic, we could talk to cardiff from 100 miles away.

I did consider scud running back to Somerset, but soon changed my mind when I couldn't see Snowdown. I was *expecting* VFR conditions back home, and it was, so we had a nice relaxing flight. I had a plan in case it wasn't as forecast and that was to break cloud somewhere over low ground or the sea and make my way home from there....I was with one of the other group members who has never done any instrument stuff. He said he'd never have done the flight like we did, but he'd have scud run back.

Is that more dangerous than flying VFR amongst hills and other traffic?

Oops, I fogot to mention my IMC had lapsed...was I illegal in my G reg aeroplane?;)

Does anybody know any other IFR training materials related to Europe and ICAO?

Monica Agazarian ?

Monique, not Monica. Amazing woman from an amazing family; she wasn't French - although born to Armenian and French parents she was born and lived in England.

Her 'Instrument Flying' is still available from Transair etc, I believe.

Was it an EASA aeroplane using an EASA licence?

The UK PPL has/had its privileges resticted to among other things 'in sight of the ground' without an IMC or higher rating.

EASA licences don't have an IMC rating but an IR(R) - which is the same thing in all but name. But, is there any restriction on VFR flight using such a licence that requires you to have the ground in sight? I think not.