Posted for "Bryan J. Burr" <bjburr@mwheli.com>:

My personal opinion is that IFR is only for professional pilots who
receive a lot of recurrent training, flying multi-engine high altitude,
with the best deice equipment and have an equally rated and trained
co-pilot.  Actual (IMC) IFR is not for single engine, low time pilots
who dream of going IMC.

Therefore, I have elected to accumulate my 2500 hours as a VFR rated
single and multi-engine pilot, with IFR training.  By not having the IFR
rating I am not tempted to venture into weather that will kill me and my
passengers.  There is nowhere I need to go that requires me to make
irrational decisions when the weather turns.

I have been in a Cessna 340 14,000' IMC over the Sawtooth mountains of
Idaho with all of the confidence and above equipment and pilots.  I
clearly remember the cell phone call I had with my wife and my father
explaining where the wreckage could be found.  We had ice so thick and
building so fast our flight was certainly doomed.  Airspeed was falling,
the throttles were at the firewall, and the boots couldn't react fast
enough.  Our only saving grace was that the OAT was warmer than freezing
at lower altitudes and we were able to get over the Treasure Valley
(Twin Falls area) during our decent and get rid of the ice.  We landed
in Boise and I took the airlines.  Oh, there was still over 1" of ice
melting on the tarmac from the wings, belly, and every other part of the
airplane.

These Lancair airplanes, although capable, are really only meant for
enjoyment, fun, and convenience.  Nothing more.

MY TWO CENTS and MY OPINION.  LIFE IS TOO SHORT. You can keep your IMC.

Bryan
Super ES Soon I hope.