Is 91.175 enforced in the USA?

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
OK, see if I can get it right this time.
Chris wrote:
There is no problem setting up a descent to bring you under
cloud providing that whilst in cloud you remain 1000 feet above the
highest
obstacle within five miles either side of your track and once through the
cloud are in VFR conditions.

The above cannot be done in the US. We can descend to the MEA (which is
published on the IFR enroute charts), or to the MVA (which ATC will
tell us) and if we are not in VFR conditions, then we have to do an
intrument approach. MEA's are higher than 1000 AGL I can tell you that.
MVA's are not published, but ATC has a map of them. ATC clearance
madatory for IFR flight (with one exception, Class G). I don't honestly
know what the rules are for descent in Class G with no radar and no IFR
clearance. I don't think there are any. It doesn't happen much, almost
all our IFR flight is with ATC clearances and frequently with radar as
well etc.

I think basically the rules are similar in the US and the UK. The main
difference is the organisation of airspace. we have a fair bit of Class G
airspace going upto FL190 and IFR in IMC can go on outside of radar control
because there is none.

On the other hand we have a lot of Class A airspace going from 2500' upwards
all over the place and it it is impossible to use with an instrument rating.
The class A is radar controlled.

Going from Class G to A means hanging around for a clearance before entering
the class A.

We also have an IMC rating which is a version of the IR which allows us to
fly in IMC except in Class A aispace. For that we need the instrument
rating. The JAA instrument rating is a pig to get as you have to pass 8
exams so some of us fly on an US instrument rating in a N reg plane which
means we have to follow the FARs.

As the FARs are broadly in line with the ICAO requirements then the rules
are similar to the UK.

The biggest difference is over the interpretation of IFR/VFR.

Non instrument rated and IMC rated pilots can fly IFR in all airspace except
class A. But they must be in VMC conditions.

But still, we don't go around doing IMC "letdowns" to 1000' AGL without
being on an approach. If THAT is what pilots actually do in England,
and I wonder if they do, even if it is legal, that's a pretty big
difference.

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
But still, we don't go around doing IMC "letdowns" to 1000' AGL without
being on an approach. If THAT is what pilots actually do in England,
and I wonder if they do, even if it is legal, that's a pretty big
difference.

Not 1000' AGL, 1000' above the highest object within 5nm either side of
track and it is no big deal really provided you know where you are. A couple
of VORs, or one VOR and a DME or ADF and you are home and dry and its like
with anything else, you set a minimum descent height and if you are not out
of cloud by then, back up you go. Mind you at $9.14 a gallon you don't want
to spend too much time diverting 50 miles to find an approach so we tend to
play it safe and stay out of cloud. And at 3500' in England the only think
you are going to hit is another plane.

Remember the UK is relatively low level. The highest elevation is in
Scotland at 4409', Wales 3500' and in England its 3210'.

Chris writes:

We also have an IMC rating which is a version of the IR which allows us to
fly in IMC except in Class A aispace. For that we need the instrument
rating. The JAA instrument rating is a pig to get as you have to pass 8
exams so some of us fly on an US instrument rating in a N reg plane which
means we have to follow the FARs.

Are you saying that you can fly outside the U.S. in a U.S.-registered
aircraft and follow U.S. instrument flight rules (instead of local
rules)? Or am I misunderstanding?

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