Turning off your radio and flying VFR around large metro areas is perfectly legal and so is driving 55mph in the fastlane.

I think both are rude.

Yeah, well, I live in Florida so.....

Not in Utah. No matter how fast you are going you legally have to pull to the right if there is a car behind you wanting to pass.

I'll never agree with this. Maintaining my own separation on a VMC is LESS strain on the system. I'm out from under Class B faster than anyone. Same with coming back in. Cancel at 18K and bring it in VFR. I've flow like this for thousands of hours and not a single issue.

I don't see how you compare that to driving slow in the fast lane. I think holding short, waiting on IFR release on a VMC day is "driving slow in the fast lane". Like just get outta there. Go. You don't need an IFR to take off on a beautiful, sunny day. You're the problem.

Yes, as long as you stay out of Class A, which tends to start lower around here. Once out of their airspace and VFR, no different than US. Services terminated, go on your merry way. At least in UK, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

But I've also flown in UK, in IMC, with no clearance and it was perfectly legal. Class G goes a lot higher in UK than rest of EU. You can cross the whole country IMC with some detours and not talk to anybody. They've never had an IMC mid air. Sky is big.

Yes, as long as you stay out of Class A, which tends to start lower around here. Once out of their airspace and VFR, no different than US. Services terminated, go on your merry way. At least in UK, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

But I've also flown in UK, in IMC, with no clearance and it was perfectly legal. Class G goes a lot higher in UK than rest of EU. You can cross the whole country IMC with some detours and not talk to anybody. They've never had an IMC mid air. Sky is big. With direct routing I just don't see two aircraft slamming into one another outside of a terminal area. With VORs there was always some potential over the VOR, but now you'd have to be very unlucky.

I'll never agree with this. Maintaining my own separation on a VMC is LESS strain on the system. I'm out from under Class B faster than anyone. Same with coming back in. Cancel at 18K and bring it in VFR. I've flow like this for thousands of hours and not a single issue.

I don't see how you compare that to driving slow in the fast lane. I think holding short, waiting on IFR release on a VMC day is "driving slow in the fast lane". Like just get outta there. Go. You don't need an IFR to take off on a beautiful, sunny day. You're the problem.

Why would a sunny day be so busy?

Why would a sunny day be so busy?

Chip.... gimme a break. I'm a taxpayer. The airlines don't own the airspace.

You guys are really against flying VFR? How will anyone get a pilots license? If the FAA passed a law that everyone had to be IFR to fly I'd quit flying. Just go to the big airport and book first class.

I agree with Chip. Going into Portland this month on a STAR I was at 12,000. ATC called traffic at 11:00, 7 miles, 11,500 and “we’re not talking to him.” He was going the opposite direction of the arrival. I couldn’t spot him. Everyone got put on a vector parade for a few minutes.

I’m not against flying VFR. I just prefer VFR traffic to talk to ATC in high traffic areas.

And you deserve right of way because you’re on a flight plan?

We need to outlaw SR22s and all other aircraft flying VFR. Airspace should be owned by corporate America.

The idea that it’s somehow rude to fly VFR and not request radar service from ATC is ludicrous

Yet you are preaching that people modify their behavior out of fear of getting new rules, that are like these rules you imagine are elsewhere but have no idea what they are ?

Big picture, you have it backwards. In much of the world IFR flying is so regulated and expensive that people tend to bend the rules flying vfr. Or in some places you can fly in IMC in some circumstances with no clearance, big sky theory. The thing that is most unique about the US is the ease of being licensed for IFR and being easily able to execute an IFR flight anytime you want. But that is not to say that VFR is a bad idea. Do you really think there is ever going to be excessive VFR traffic at O2 altitudes, and that this will be an issue that drives public policy ?

I always have liked VFR flying; visual flight rules, peek out the window. There is a time and place for IFR and it makes things safe and coordinated for the system of sequencing and separation. The AIM is a suggested way of doing your flying but it is suggested. It is a smart way of keeping ourselves untangled. VFR is a method of seeing and being seen and I’ll take that right any day at any VFR altitude if I want it. I certainly wouldn’t want to forfeit those rights.