karl gruber wrote:
Not true!!!! That's a good recipe for a mid-air.

The pilot STILL has to look outside and provide his own separation, even if
IFR, and especially out of cloud. You can't just fly along fat, dumb, and
happy.........thinking ATC will save you ass! There is all sorts of VFR
traffic climbing and descending through your IFR altitudes.


You actually make an excellent point. We use the term "IMC" and "VMC".
However those terms actually refer to the legal minimums ("IMC" meaning
below VFR minumums). However, a safety pilot is required in IMC
conditions where visibility is clear enough to allow for "see and
avoid" and the flying pilot is under the hood. Above 10,000 feet this
could be as much as 4.9 miles visibility. The safety pilot is requires
anytime the hooded pilot is flying in conditions that allow for
see-and-avoid.

-Robert, CFII