"Jose" wrote in message
. ..
Happens less now. I generally file IFR unless there is a specific
reason to file VFR beyond CAVU. Why give up the extra eyes for
traffic,extra traffic separation standards, airspace management (MOA,
prohibited, restricteed obstacle avoidance), and TFR avoidance services
unless there is a clear advantage to not filing.

Time, range, and convetion. VFR you can usually go direct. IFR you get
routed around willy nilly so you use more gas and time, and require
reserves to an alternate plus forty five minutes after a non-direct
flight. Sometimes this makes a one leg flight into two legs, and the
VFR option is better (even from a safety POV).

Again it depends a lot. I have never had problems when flying IFR in VMC
with the routing. I fly from fulton county in Atlanta, and when I fly south
IFR is much nicer because I'll get vectored to fly over ATL inside the class
B, instead to try to scoot under the class B and go around ATL, which takes
more time. I guess I could get a clearance to go inside the class B under
VFR, but I'll probably be vectored in the same way anyways. I usually go
direct if I file like that. Well, maybe if you don't have an IFR capable GPS
you may lose a lot of time following airways, so in that case VFR will be
better. Not worrying about the airspaces is the greatest thing of IFR.
About the alternate, you only need the fuel for the alternate in the case
the weather is below 1-2-3, in which case its a good idea to have enough
fuel to go to the alternate + 45 minutes anyways. If the weather is clear,
you only need 45 minutes extra fuel from your first landing point (unless
the airport doesn't have an IAP). Ok, this is 15 minutes more than VFR, but
I won't do only 30 minutes reserve anyways. I like to keep it at one hour
reserve in ANY flight.
So agree that there may be certain situations in which you don't want IFR,
but I think in most of the cases it is the best thing to do if you are going
somewhere other than sigthseeing or training (especially if you have an IFR
GPS)