TN8, I think I am pretty close to your prototypical private flyer. I learned to fly 7 yrs ago in a 22, switched to a 44 10 hrs before I got PPL. I've got 300 hrs now. I fly my family, I fly my buddies and dogs on bird hunting trips, I fly for business, and I fly to ski tournaments. I have some time in a 206, and some time in an Astar. From my vantage point, the 206 is a slower, mushier, more expensive version of the 44 that costs me twice as much to lease, and carries one more guy. Its easier to fly than the 44 if you get used to the mushiness, which I did in about 15 minutes. The Astar is a bullet proof rocketship that a) would be 3 times the cost to lease, b) is not available to lease, and c) is a different animal altogether to fly. If I had the money, I'd never be in anything but the Astar. But I don't and I love to fly. So. 44 is it. I wouldn't get back in a 22 unless I was a cattle musterer in OZ. Need 4 seats.
I didn't intend to, but I once got into turbulence at the limit of the 44's capability. I flew it from Spokane to Calgary, and back. On the way home, I hit a front on the eastern slope of the mountains. We were getting tossed around so bad I had to wedge myself against the door to avoid unintentional control inputs. I slowed down to 60, and every time my butt got light I nudged the cyclic back. Tried to land in a clearing, but it was gusting so bad once I slowed through 20 I couldn't convince myself I could hover it, and didn't want to try a run on in the woods. Going back or continuing seemed about the same, so I just kept flying at 60, and kept trying to keep my butt heavy in the seat. After about 10 minutes of that, we were through and it calmed down.
After that experience, I don't really understand how people mast bump the thing and die. I guess if I were flying along in smooth air, and some massive down draft appeared out of nowhere I might freak out and try to roll back level. I hope not. Seems like the accidents I've researched all have crap weather with some warning, not a rogue downdraft.
I do think its possible, and pretty easy, to get the cyclic knocked out of your hand by a passenger waving his hands around, or taking photos. BIG difference in the odds of that based on the stupid center stick ungarded by your knees. I have had a close call with that, and think the POH and instructors should stress the odds of that happening.