"mindenpilot" wrote in message news:VUEJd.1862

I'm wondering how that works at a class E airport, like the one I'm based
at
in Minden, NV.
For example, if there was real IMC (a fog layer at 300 AGL), would you be
allowed to take off?

Yes. You would file your plan ahead by telephone and depart at a given
time.

The problem would be returning. For example, the airport I fly out of has a
tower, and I can take off with the appropriate clearance, but it doesn't
have an instrument approach so unless the airport is VFR when I return, I
can't land there. That means that to return on IFR, I need to have an
alternate airport(s) with IFR approaches available so if I can't land at my
home base I can safely land nearby (IF the weather meets the published
minimums for that approach.)

-c