Originally Posted by
Daysleeper
The question is one of informed consent. The commercial air transport industry is exceptionally safe (considering what it does) however a lot of those safety advances don't apply to a 1930s built aeroplane. Do the public truly understand the difference between a modern airliner with certificated 16G passenger seat assembly and one that isn't? Or a performance A aeroplane with whatever a JU-52 is?
You may leave the decision up to the individual, but what if they are not capable of making that decision?
And who decides that? I was lucky enough to fly on a B17 and no one dared question my ability to determine if it was safe. That was my decision.