Informal poll for the IR's: do you fly single piston in IMC?

[BenWA]

I wish this forum had a way of setting up a poll so that people could answer anonymously/candidly, but let's see how we do with an informal poll. Do you/would you fly a single piston in IMC? Try to answer using one of the following choices:

A) Yes, frequently, sometimes (or often) with passengers.
B) Yes, frequently, but never with passengers.
C) Occasionally, but I generally try to avoid it.
D) Only if I absolutely have to.
E) No frickin' way!


Let the replies roll...

 

[whaleroast]

When I got my rating I would say B. That was years ago and now I'm a little more cautious and a lot less excitable.
So today I'd say D.

 

[flyf15]

Depending on my mood and the situation... any one of those could apply.

Good airplane, flat terrain thousands of feet below me, and just the occasional cloud to pop through? A.

Questionable airplane, night, mountainious terrain, at MEA, in solid IMC? E.

In general, I'd say C.

 

[JimNtexas]

I don't hesitate fly IFR/IMC in my Cardinal, but I have some fairly strict mental rules of engagement.

1) If there is any chance of ice I don't go.

2) I have to stay well clear of any thunderstorms, by 'well clear' I mean 100nm or more. Someday I'll have XM weather and maybe I can cut it a little closer, but not yet.

2) If the weather at destination is forcast much below 1000'/3miles I don't go unless I have a solid VFR alternate.

This often happens because I frequently fly from Austin to Rockport Texas which often gets covered by low clouds. I'll launch once the forcast goes to 500/1 because I know the area well, and because I haven enough gas to easily go all the way back to Austin if things don't work out. And of course its nice and flat on the coast. Less than a forcast of 500/1 I just wait it out in all cases.

3) If I'm carrying passengers I must be on the ground no latter than an hour or so after sunset.

4) I always file IFR into class B.

 

[GravityHater]

I have little hesitation to (if I know and trust the airplane), even with pax - but I can't say I do it "yes, frequently". So, A) subset i).

 

[JimG]

I don't hesitate fly IFR/IMC in my Cardinal, but I have some fairly strict mental rules of engagement.

1) If there is any chance of ice I don't go.

2) I have to stay well clear of any thunderstorms, by 'well clear' I mean 100nm or more. Someday I'll have XM weather and maybe I can cut it a little closer, but not yet.

2) If the weather at destination is forcast much below 1000'/3miles I don't go unless I have a solid VFR alternate.

This often happens because I frequently fly from Austin to Rockport Texas which often gets covered by low clouds. I'll launch once the forcast goes to 500/1 because I know the area well, and because I haven enough gas to easily go all the way back to Austin if things don't work out. And of course its nice and flat on the coast. Less than a forcast of 500/1 I just wait it out in all cases.

3) If I'm carrying passengers I must be on the ground no latter than an hour or so after sunset.

4) I always file IFR into class B.

I'd say D even in my 340, with downlink weather...

If my destination isn't at least marginally VFR (with a precision approach), and I can't fly over, or under the worst of the weather during the enroute....I'm going to wait it out.

I live where there are always rocks in the clouds and most of the year, ice present at most MEA's.

If I HAVE to get there on a certain day/time....I'll go commercial.

 

[avbug]

NO!

I do not.

 

[Catnhat]

A.

Daytime only. The more rugged the terrain under me, the higher I need the bases. No thunderstorms along my route. No forecast of and little chance of ice.

Where I live, if I didn't go because of IFR, my airplane would be basically useless.

 

[BenWA]

NO!

I do not.

Never?

 

[RichardRambone]

A. 182 over mountains at night picking up light ice in the clouds. Never again scenario for sure. Otherwise I generally have no prob with it if the weathers better than 500/2 or so, no ice and able to nav around TS.

 

[FrozenPilot]

Icing, t-storm, and terrain permitting, I generally say lets go fly!

 

[avbug]

One might well notice that the willingness in this regard generally equates to experience. Inexperienced pilots often reply that they will, experienced pilots often reply that they will not, generally speaking.

Why do you suppose that is?

 

[seethru]

I once had an instrument student flying a C172 who worked days and could only fly in the evenings during the week. He is an experienced pilot and I doubt I would have done this with a pilot with a fresh Private Certificate.

Often it was IMC and always in the dark (winter time in Pac NW). This included all maneuvers (slow flight/stalls/steep turns), and of course plenty of approaches.

There was nothing ever cavalier about it, and we both feel that the experience and confidence he gained helped him in his flying. If we could have flown during daylight I'm sure we would have, but that was not possible.

Did we ever get ice? You bet. But we had outs that would allow us to escape to safety if need be.

I guess what I'm getting at is that you should fly at the level you feel comfortable with, but do not pass up the opportunity to stretch your abilities (with proper preparation). After all, the plane flies just as well at night and in clouds as it does during the day in the clear.

 

[TrafficInSight]

One might well notice that the willingness in this regard generally equates to experience. Inexperienced pilots often reply that they will, experienced pilots often reply that they will not, generally speaking.

Why do you suppose that is?

Dick Collins must be a NOOB then

At any rate, the more of everything I can get the better, engines, vacuum pumps, alternators, alternates.

 

[BenWA]

Did we ever get ice? You bet. But we had outs that would allow us to escape to safety if need be.

C172 in known ice? If so, 'tis a fool's endeavor, outs or not.