Flying through clouds during basic PPL training

Peter wrote:

cancelling IFR pointlessly early …

Which is really totally useless because one gets the best direct-to routes when flying IFR. I just come back from a flight from Torino. The first Swiss radar controller cleared us direct to a waypoint 12 miles final of our homebase – while still on the southern side of the Alps. Impossible to beat flying VFR…

Airborne_Again wrote:

It was being in IMC without a predetermined route, operational flight plan, clearance, IAP at the destination etc.etc. Simply that IFR flying is normally such a meticulously organised and pre-planned activity that I felt kind of lost doing it impromptu.

This is exactly what I meant with:
Arne wrote:

When you have prepared for a VFR flight

In my case I had not sync’ed any instrument plates to the iPad, I did not even have the localizer frequency. Caught my pants down tripping on them.
The area controller had to give me everything over the radio and vector me to the ILS. Takes time and attention.

Intetesting topic! I got into IMC inadvertently while training for the PPL. ATC warned of mist rolling in and potentially affecting the end of the active runway. The Instructor said ’we’ll be ok’ so I started the take off run but was IMC at about 200ft and stayed in IMC until downwind @ 1000ft.

A quick circuit and we were safely back on the ground before the mist rolled up the runway.’ So, a ‘simple’ climb out on instruments but enough to teach me that ‘simple’ it wasn’t!!! I’ll do the IMC before that happens again!

Otherwise, thebnecessary PPL instrument training was with a hood! But if the instructor is IR and it is legal then it would be good experience – the hood is a compromise!