OK forget about logging time and hood for a moment. The flight is either VFR
or IFR, it can't just change at will.

but VMC and IMC can.

If it is IFR, then seperation is provided

Only separation from other IFR traffic. VFR traffic is separated by
eyeball or by clouds. If there are no clouds, then VFR traffic is
separated only by eyeball.

Seems to me you either have the IR
pilot acting as PIC, and the VFR-only pilot is a passenger, OR the IR pilot
is an instructor and the VFR pilot is a student, who also should be able to
log PIC and dual, no? I don't see how the flight can be legal in IMC any
other way.

The IR pilot can be PIC while the VFR-only pilot manipulates the
controls. This is completely legal.

Even if the IR pilot is an instructor, the VFR-only pilot cannot BE PIC
(though then he can log it as PIC time).

I do wish they had not used the same terms to mean different things.
But maybe the FAA has stock in USENET.

Jose
--
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