VFR=look out to navigate (see and be seen).
IFR=look at intruments to navigate. “All” normal airline operations are IFR.
Also, you cant (totally)freely roam about in VFR. There are uncontrolled airspace and controlled airspace(ATC controls and seperate aircraft). You can fly IFR or VFR in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
You still need clearance from ATC to enter controlled airspace in VFR, like CTRs (control zones around airports), TMAs (terminal areas) above and around controlled airports etc. If you are in uncontrolled airspace you can still contact ATC to get a squawk code so they can identify you and give you traffic information ("…unknown traffic at your 11 o’clock 2NM…"), but you are the boss in uncontrolled airspace and decides where to fly and detect and avoid other traffic.
An IFR flight can still be given a visual approach into a controlled airport, but it is still regarded as an IFR flight.
Thanks for the reply, having been a professional pilot for 36 years now I’m fully aware of all that you state.
My reply to the OP was a very brief summary of IFR versus VFR for someone who obviously has little to no knowledge of the pros and cons.
If you feel the OP would benefit from a lengthy and more complete answer, then feel free to address your comments to them rather than waste them just on me.
Good luck.
That was meant for the OP. So sorry if you feel it was for you…
Been (professional ;)) ATC for xx years and still experience pilots who believe IFR=ATC controlled and VFR is free roam. Flew not too long ago with two military section leaders doing IFR training in a Bell helicopter in G-airspace, who asked me why they didnt get an approach clearance to an uncontrolled field “but we are IFR and have filed a flight-plan!”
That was what I was trying to get through…
Understood, think you perhaps hit the reply to post, rather than the reply to topic, which is why it arrived in my mailbox rather than a reply to the OP and thread in general.
Hats off to you at ATC, putting up with some of the nonsense that comes out of some aircraft! I’m often embarrassed on behalf of the pilot side of things when I hear some of it.
I can’t image what you think of the MSFS implementation of ATC…