On Jul 6, 1:35 pm, wrote:
My husband took his instrument check ride with the minimum total time
allowed, I think he said he clocked 200 total during the ride. That
was flying in the Boston area.

We live in the southeast now, and I can't imagine us going anywhere
without him filing an instrument flight rules plan. Maybe it's a
mindset thing, but could anyone explain why a moderate to higher time
pilot would NOT take the additional instruction and become rated?

I think the obvious exception would be the recreational pilot who very
rarely goes far from home, but for everyone else, doesn't it make
sense to go ahead and get the rating?

People who live in the SW, Florida, and areas of California for
example can fly hundredes of miles without ever seeing a cloud almost
any day of the year. Its very difficult for those pilots to maintain a
level of ability that they are safe to enter the clouds. In addition,
I've noticed that retired guys have so much flexibily in their flying
that, even if they are instrument able, usually just wait the wx out.

-Robert, CFII