[Big Giant Head]

While going East on a compass heading a plane above 3000 feet should be at odd intervals, 3500, 5500, 7500 etc. Going west on a compass heading of 181 to 360 above 3000 feet a plane should be at 4500, 6500,8500 etc. This is for VFR or visual flight rules. While traveling IFR or Instrument flight rules one should be at 5000, 7000 9000 etc going east and 4000, 6000 , 800 etc while going west. Bt bt bt, that’s all folks.

Which, when you think about it, can put an IFR flight and a VFR flight only 500' apart in opposing directions. A VFR can be eastbound at 7,500 and pass a westbound IFR at 8,000'.

[Joe Boucher]

That is correct.
IFR has radar alerting if a collision course is happening.
Course everyone know there is NO such thing as pilot error.
And especially no such thing as controller error.
Oft times it looks like a cluster-f out there but there really is control and order.