1. Do you agree with Collins' statements?

I haven't read the article, but on the face of it it seems quite
reasonable. IFR flying often takes you =through= inhospitable weather -
that's the whole point. Weather flying is inherently more risky.
Although there can be bad VFR days, the biggest hazards occur in the
clouds, and where you can't see the weather coming. IFR there are fewer
outs if you get into trouble.

2. Assuming the statistics are true, how do you minimize your risk?

By getting a good weather briefing, by not flying if the weather isn't
good enough for me or my equipment, by staying in practice with MSFS (at
least for procedures and scan, which is actually the least of it), by
being continually on top of developing weather, to the extent possible,
and sometimes by flying VFR over the top with Flight Following, getting
an instrument approach at the end of the flight (allowing me more route
flexibility)

3.Since IFR flight is statistically among the most dangerous things
you can do in a light GA aircraft, and flying a GA aircraft is already
approximately as dangerous as riding a motorcycle, do you ever have
any second thoughts about what you're doing? How do you feel about
strapping your family into a light aircraft and launching into the
clag?

I always have second thoughts - that's the point of getting a weather
briefing, making the go/no-go decision, and keeping options open should
things go sour during the flight. If I am comfortable going myself, I
am comfortable taking my family.

Jose
--
Get high on gasoline: fly an airplane.
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