Personal Minimums SEL?

paul kgyy wrote:
I'm curious what Instrument Rated members of this group use for
personal minimums for takeoff and landing for single engine aircraft.

The question is prompted by a recent flight where the takeoff
conditions were 200 ft + 1 mile. That's lower than I've ever done
before, and it occurred to me that if I had any significant engine
problems, it was all over unless I was extremly lucky.

Flying IFR over low ceilings is like flying at night. There will often
be phases of your flight that an engine failure outcome may be very,
very bad. Its like driving through an intersection on a green light.
There is always the chance someone will run the red light and kill you.
You just have to decide your own personal risk management levels.
Personally, I have launched in that and less. I also chose to buy a
factory new engine rather than overhaul my last one, I do oil analysis
every oil change and do a boroscope inspection inside the engine at
least every 6 months. I could still lose an engine but that's where
I've choosen to set my level.
We live in the fog belt and I often take students up to do multiple
approaches when its 200 ft 1/2 mile or even less. Sometimes we don't
even see the approach lights at minimums (we have an alternate airport
nearby above the fog). I think its important that students see what it
really looks like to break out so low and to understand the difference
in intensity level between breaking out (or taking off) with a 500 ft
ceiling vs a 100ft ceiling (at 001VV you usually have an 80% chance of
seeing the rabbit). I've seen otherwise great students almost lose it
when entering the close right after take off. I'd rather have them
experience that with me that just to trust me that its different.

-Robert, CFII