"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
But still, we don't go around doing IMC "letdowns" to 1000' AGL without
being on an approach. If THAT is what pilots actually do in England,
and I wonder if they do, even if it is legal, that's a pretty big
difference.

Not 1000' AGL, 1000' above the highest object within 5nm either side of
track and it is no big deal really provided you know where you are. A couple
of VORs, or one VOR and a DME or ADF and you are home and dry and its like
with anything else, you set a minimum descent height and if you are not out
of cloud by then, back up you go. Mind you at $9.14 a gallon you don't want
to spend too much time diverting 50 miles to find an approach so we tend to
play it safe and stay out of cloud. And at 3500' in England the only think
you are going to hit is another plane.

Remember the UK is relatively low level. The highest elevation is in
Scotland at 4409', Wales 3500' and in England its 3210'.