IFR rating?

Certainly flying in IMC is more complex than
flying in VMC.


Well, uh, not always. There is benign IMC and harrowing VMC. Of course IMC
can be harrowing if you are not IFR rated, but that's a different kettle of
oranges.


the pilot should have a minimum for
every stage of the flight.


I'm not sure I agree with this either. Personal minima are a guide, but either
don't take everything into account, or are cumbersomely complex. The key is
not to be tempted into a go by cheating. Benign 600-2 everywhere is more
problematic than 200 - 1/2 at the destination, but 1400 - 3 everywhere else.
A firm 400-2 personal minimum would scrub a perfectly doable flight, and allow
a flight that could get you into trouble.


Flight in IMC requires more precision[...] t but that is irrelevant to the
original question, except for
the question, "am I proficient enough to make the flight?"


I suppose the more proficient one is, the more things cease to be an automatic
no-go. There are more things to consider when the decision is harder. So, by
one definition, it is "more complex" to decide. But with more proficiency,
there is more ability to handle the greater complexity in decision making. So,
although it may be "more complex", it may not be "harder to decide".

Jose

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