Jose wrote:

It's not worth debating. You always have your mind made up.


Actually, I don't know how I feel about the proposed rules. I don't
however think that a knee-jerk "more rules are good rules" reaction is
the correct one. It seems to me that the purpose of instrument currency
rules is to ensure that the rust stays off the IFR abilities, not to
"prove" to the FAA that one is capable of everything (although one
=should= be capable of everything the license reasonably lets one do).

What I am unconvinced of is that flying in cruise knocks any rust off
that flying an approach hasn't already disloged. Your point about good
approaches to unlandable configurations is well taken; but while one
might need to demonstrate competence to an examiner when an examination
is warranted, I'm not convinced that the same holds true for currency
rules.

Jose

I'm with you on this Jose, I find that the approach phase when it gets
busy is where any rust shows up in spades. Flying IFR in cruise helps
to knock rust off the scan, but doesn't do it the way flying a few
approaches and having to manage quick changes in the navigation etc
does. When I am a little rusty, flying IMC in cruise to high ceilings
so I don't have a challenging approach at the end is a great way to ease
back into the groove. I don't think it is great for keeping a sharp
edge though.