Need a second oppinion.

[Warrior]

You need a second opinion?

[insert Rodney Dangerfield type comment here]

"I don't get no respect. My wife doesn't say come and get it she says, try and eat it."

 

[RV10flyer]

I live in California, but learned to fly in Sweden and the UK. I'm constantly amazed at how little tolerance there is for any kind of weather amongst VFR pilots in So Cal. If there's as much as a cloud in the sky, the whole fleet's sitting in the hangar. It's a like a graveyard out there on days with a ceiling. Where I learned to fly, if you couldn't stand a little weather you simply couldn't fly for the next 6 months - simple as that. So all this wx gun shyness might seem like a real safe option, but in fact it's the opposite.

My view might differ, but I think it is an essential VFR skill to be able to fly in weather that isn't perfect. This is a skill that a new pilot needs to develop. There is nothing unsafe about it if approached correctly, just make sure you have some basic instrument skills in in your knowledge bank.

It is the same here too. That is the way my flight school trained. "Get wx experience later on your own." I went out later with two different CFI's to get my feet wet.

I enjoy flying VFR over the top. Beneath if TS are present. Ceilings under 2,500' agl, visibilities under 6 miles, yellow radar returns anywhere, winds greater than 10 kts on the ground, or OAT on the ground below 32F can almost guarantee we will have ATC/FF to ourselves. Like many others, I am a weather geek and enjoy the views from above or below. I like the challenge, but not bashful about canceling or making a 180.

 

[Mike I]

I live in California, but learned to fly in Sweden and the UK. I'm constantly amazed at how little tolerance there is for any kind of weather amongst VFR pilots in So Cal.

Perhaps you also received an IMC rating in the UK, which gave you more of a chance to dance with weather and ceilings?

For those unaware, the UK has a restricted Instrument rating, in addition to the full Instrument rating. The restricted (IMC) rating allows flight in IMC in certain airspace, but doesn't allow one to shoot approaches, among other things. We don't have that luxury here, but it would be a great way for people to experience weather without getting a full FAA Instrument rating.

 

[stratobee]

Hi Mike. I did not, actually. But it's a rating that was specifically developed for the UK and has been a huge success there, as you pointed out. However, it is sub-ICAO, so doesn't count anywhere else. But funnily enough, EASA have just adopted or are just about to, a two tier IR rating system:

One will be the full IR just like it is now, although a little closer to the FAA (thank god) version (the old IR was over the top and demanded that PPL holders do all the ATP instrument exams) and easier to achieve.

The second one is the EIR, or Enroute Instrument Rating, and it is in effect the UK IMC rating in an EASA version. This gives you enroute IR capabilities, but not approach. Don't know how useful this is, but it's an attempt to get the instrument capable pilot numbers up in Europe as they've been embarrassingly behind the US in this regard. EASA has finally realised that IR rated pilots are safer pilots. Duh.