On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 22:33:33 GMT, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

I beg to differ. I fly a "spam can" (Arrow IV) and find that IFR
capability
(pilot and aircraft) adds enormously to utility. My use is about 30/70
respectively business/personal. There are many, many trips I have been
able
to safely complete IFR that I would not have even considered VFR. Some of
that is regional, no doubt; we get a lot of IFR weather here in the
Northwest.

The Weather Channel is reporting today that Seattle has had 20 straight days
of rain. Portland has had 20 out of 21 days.

The statistic was '20 days that had measurable rainfall.' It's not the same as
'28,200 continuous minutes of rain.' About a quarter to a half of those 20 days
had daylight periods of acceptable flying weather.

Yep, it looks like if you live in the Northwest, it's IFR flight -- or
nothing. Thankfully, that's the exception rather than the norm.

Tsk, tsk. Rain IFR. It's raining right now, and I can see the foothills of
the Cascade mountains, ~15 miles away. Sea-Tac airport is reporting 5500
broken, 11,000 overcast. I just got back from a flight. Other than a drop of
rain that got on the INSIDE of my glasses prior to putting the goggles on, I had
no problem with the rain.

There's no question that cross-countries would be iffy without an IFR ticket/IFR
equipment, but for those of us who like cutting holes in the sky (albeit soggy
holes), it ain't that bad....

Ron Wanttaja