Narrative:

This was an aircraft familiarization flight after simulator training. I was lulled into a false sense of security by the check airman in regards to the airspace/WX requirements. The PIC (check airman) picked up our local IFR clearance for our training flight. On our third takeoff the tower and approach control were in the process of closing down for the night and handing the airspace over to ZTL. The PIC called for and received takeoff clearance from the tower. Once airborne, PIC called ZTL and they were unaware of us and our IFR status. We were told to maintain VFR, we were still in surface level class C/east airspace with less than 3 mi of ground visibility. I slowed the aircraft to minimum maneuvering speed and put a plan together to keep the aircraft safe in the dark limited visibility nighttime VFR situation. We never stated 'cancel my IFR.' the PIC was handling the radios, but I think a call back to greer would have cleared up the confusion that we were on an IFR clearance. I would have been more insistent about our IFR clearance, thus preventing us from the dangers of nighttime limited visibility VFR. After the inbound traffic was clear, we were given our IFR clearance. On a 4 mi final, the PIC canceled our IFR. I do not think he realized that NWS still reports the WX and they said the ground visibility was less than 3 mi. The airspace was then surface based, class east, which requires an IFR clearance for these conditions. Because it was my first flight in the aircraft, it was very difficult to be assertive except when safety was an issue during our VFR only situation. I had to let the non safety airspace issues slide, not filing a complete ground based flight plan could have contributed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL600 TRAINING FLT GETS INVOLVED IN IMC FLT IN VFR DURING A CLOSING OF THE LCL TWR AND APCH CTL FACILITY AT GSP, SC.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN ACFT FAMILIARIZATION FLT AFTER SIMULATOR TRAINING. I WAS LULLED INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BY THE CHK AIRMAN IN REGARDS TO THE AIRSPACE/WX REQUIREMENTS. THE PIC (CHK AIRMAN) PICKED UP OUR LCL IFR CLRNC FOR OUR TRAINING FLT. ON OUR THIRD TKOF THE TWR AND APCH CTL WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING DOWN FOR THE NIGHT AND HANDING THE AIRSPACE OVER TO ZTL. THE PIC CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC FROM THE TWR. ONCE AIRBORNE, PIC CALLED ZTL AND THEY WERE UNAWARE OF US AND OUR IFR STATUS. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VFR, WE WERE STILL IN SURFACE LEVEL CLASS C/E AIRSPACE WITH LESS THAN 3 MI OF GND VISIBILITY. I SLOWED THE ACFT TO MINIMUM MANEUVERING SPD AND PUT A PLAN TOGETHER TO KEEP THE ACFT SAFE IN THE DARK LIMITED VISIBILITY NIGHTTIME VFR SIT. WE NEVER STATED 'CANCEL MY IFR.' THE PIC WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS, BUT I THINK A CALL BACK TO GREER WOULD HAVE CLRED UP THE CONFUSION THAT WE WERE ON AN IFR CLRNC. I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INSISTENT ABOUT OUR IFR CLRNC, THUS PREVENTING US FROM THE DANGERS OF NIGHTTIME LIMITED VISIBILITY VFR. AFTER THE INBOUND TFC WAS CLR, WE WERE GIVEN OUR IFR CLRNC. ON A 4 MI FINAL, THE PIC CANCELED OUR IFR. I DO NOT THINK HE REALIZED THAT NWS STILL RPTS THE WX AND THEY SAID THE GND VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN 3 MI. THE AIRSPACE WAS THEN SURFACE BASED, CLASS E, WHICH REQUIRES AN IFR CLRNC FOR THESE CONDITIONS. BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST FLT IN THE ACFT, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO BE ASSERTIVE EXCEPT WHEN SAFETY WAS AN ISSUE DURING OUR VFR ONLY SIT. I HAD TO LET THE NON SAFETY AIRSPACE ISSUES SLIDE, NOT FILING A COMPLETE GND BASED FLT PLAN COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.