On Aug 13, 9:49*pm, Mxsmanic wrote:

What puzzles me is that you're trying to justify behavior that is
extraordinarily unwise. *Trying to see how close you can come to inadequate
visibility without actually flying by instruments is asking for trouble.

You just don't get it. Transitioning between outside visual reference
and reference to instruments is not "extraordinarily unwise," it is
normal, natural, and happens all the time.
I remember well my first solo long cross country with a new instrument
ticket in my wallet.
My ride was one of Le Tourneau University's air-conditioned Piper
Archers from Longview, TX. to San Antonio. There was lots of scattered
puffy white clouds nearly the entire way. I purposefully asked ATC for
an altitude that put me right in the middle of them. Very bumpy ride
but boy, I sure wanted to be in & out of the clouds as much as
possible as a hot, new IFR pilot. When I was not in the clouds I flew
by visual reference to the clouds & horizon. As the Archer penetrated
a cloud I transitioned my reference or view back onto the instruments.
I had an auto pilot but no way was I going to use it! That long cross
country was on an official IFR flight plan, in IMC, yet much of the
time I was flying by visual reference, much of the time I was flying
by instruments. Anthony? You with me? Did you read that?
That remains as one of the most enjoyable IFR flights I've ever taken,
so much fun. San Antonio approach was obviously taken aback that I
wanted the ILS to 12 R (the big jet runway) instead of a visual to 12
L (the smaller GA runway) it was a nice VFR day down low but I was
determined to end that flight just right. I do believe that was the
most accurate ILS I've ever shot with my hands alone. Fun, fun, fun!

Ricky