What's wrong with this idea?

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 07:28:22 -0700, Ace Pilot wrote:

After reading the "Do you always file IFR" thread, I
began thinking about some of the benefits of IFR flight that some
mentioned. The two biggest being that you can cruise at altitudes that
decrease your chances of colliding with a VFR aircraft and
you're guaranteed flight following.

The point of VFR conditions is that you should be able to avoid other
aircraft. Also, as my IFR ground school instructor insisted almost every
session... IFR doesn't mean that you're separated from VFR traffic.

You're also not guaranteed "flight following".

http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/183139-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/182649-1.html

Check those out.

outweigh the downside of flying IFR (in your opinion), wouldn't
it make sense to always file and fly IFR, even if not legal to do so?

No.

If so, then that's what we'd do.

Specifically, I'm thinking that if you follow these 2 rules:

1. Fly under VMC conditions only (i.e., treat it just like a VFR
flight for visibility and cloud clearance).

2. If given a clearance you are unable to follow, inform ATC
"Unable"; and get another clearance, or, as a last resort,
cancel IFR.

Want to think about this a little bit more? So if you're in the IFR
system, and the controllers are expecting you to be IFR trained, tested,
and current - or at least HAVE been at some point, and when they issue you
a clearance - and you suddenly cancel...

So you'll (without all the training), in a plane that doesn't meet the
requirements (not _all_ regs are there just to give bureaucrats a job)
overload the system, then cause mass confusion? And that will be safer?

it would also be safer
to fly IFR than VFR, even if you aren't IFR current.

_If_ you're IFR rated, I might agree. But then, in that case, why not
just _get current_?

Addison

One other downside - what if everybody did it? [fly IFR irrespective of the
rating and equipment to attempt to avoid VFR midairs]

Jose

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