Knowledge and experience are great tools to have for emergencies. That being said, they are NOT the same thing as wisdom.
I consider "unusual attitude" training (aerobatics) to the be the best flying investment I've ever made, with a sailplane rating as the close runner up.
Why? Not because I strive to make it happen or even try to tempt fate, but because unusal attitude teaches me about how to (obviously) recognize, avoid, and if necessary recover from a dangerous flight attitude. Sailplane training taught me the most about good, precise flying as well as good energy management.
There is only harm in IFR training if it leads someone to believe they can use that knowledge in absence of both legal AND wise flying. Aviating does not tolerate risks.
I've had IFR training, but did not test and certify. I do not plan to do so, nor fly into such conditions. Thus my flying has been limited to stellar conditions. I'm not even a marginal VFR pilot. But I wouldn't mind a few extra hours of "refresher".
I consider "IFR-exposure only training" to be in the category of CPR. It gives a cardiac arrest victim better chances if I've had a course, and even better chances if I stay current. But it doesn't qualify me to set up shop as a cardiologist.
All that being said, the unusual attitude training literally saved my life (and that of my CFI) when I was still a student pilot. My instructor wasn't thrilled that I was trying to earn my pilot's license AND taking some dual aerobatics training from another CFI.
One evening as I was taking dual instruction in mixing with large airport traffic (Tulsa International), I was working a pretty heavy pattern and trying to insert for a full stop between a 727 and an MD-80. The 727 had landed and rolled out to the taxiway. The MD-80 was coming up fast.
Neither I nor the CFI was paying attention to the risk of the 727's wingtip vortices over the runway (just ATC's encouragement to move it along), so just about the time I was over the threshold, we suddenly flipped to roughly 80-90 degrees bank (with low energy).
I instinctively stomped the rudder adding a bit of nose down as I finished with a little roll back up and added speed right to touchdown. The CFI was white as a sheet, but grateful for our safe landing. He felt foolish that we had let things get so complacent. Because of requirements, he had only ever done spin recoveries. He got some unusual attitude instruction after that.
--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Bair" <jimbair@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hello
> Its a 2 edged sword having IFR It makes it safer If conditions change
> It also gives the capability to make a flight in higher risk environment
> Peter
>
> It goes well beyond the intent of SP and I can’t imagine it happening.
> Flying IFR requires much more than simply a nice panel. It requires a level
> of training and maintaining a currency level that is quite high. Yes, I’m
> glad I have the training and background, but what I learned from that is I
> am very selective about using that capability in light airplanes.
>
> Jim
>
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