PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Total 817
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
Aircraft X was operating on an IFR flight plan; and was transitioning through the practice area. During the transition; we received no less than 3 altitude alerts from ATC about company traffic. However; we were in and out of the clouds; IMC. Aircraft Y and Aircraft Z were both observed passing 500 ft. above our aircraft. While observing these two aircraft; they came within 500 ft. both horizontally and vertically of clouds while they were operating VFR. This included Aircraft Y endangering our aircraft by flying within 1;000 ft. of us while we were IMC; presumably bringing them well within the VFR cloud clearance requirements. Aircraft Y later called Approach and was absconded for interfering with multiple aircraft; including coming 'close to' aircraft operating under IMC. The instructor onboard exhibited defiance and no acknowledgement of wrongdoing; exhibiting Macho; Invulnerability; and Anti-Authority. Approach additionally informed the instructor on Aircraft Y that 'multiple VFR [company] Aircraft were interfering with IFR aircraft.'
Flight Instructor reported VFR aircraft violating cloud clearance requirements.