In article , kage wrote:
However, that does not change the fact that most cross country flights,
especially into high density areas, are safer and vastly easier on an
instrument flight plan. If you are too busy to provide the safety net that
the IR provides at least your wife should have one.

I would STRONGLY disagree with that. Having an IR, I've flown on both
filthy weather days and fine weather days on an instrument flight plan.
I gave up filing on VFR days simply because it was much easier to just
use flight following instead. Most of my flying in the United States is
in high density areas (Houston's class B), and I've flown a light plane
in 26 states, including a coast-to-coast trip.

The only time I find an IFR flight plan and IFR procedures truly useful
in severe clear weather is at night at unfamiliar airports/territor.

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"