Cut the crap..........
Alright Sperm Bank,
and all the other upper airborne prophets of doom..........................
let's get some of the emotion out of this - statements from some individuals about mid airs 'definitely about to happen' are damn mischievous to say the least.
The travelling public need to be reassured that with professionalism the NAS system can work.
With some education and understanding the importance of the correct use of radios, transponders and the eyes, we should be able to share the sky safely. We all have the same right to the sky, be it private, commercial GA or RPT.
I would assume that a thorough cost/benefit analysis of the new system has been undertaken and that any extra risk is marginal.
The vast majority of private pilots and training flights operate below 5,000 most of the time and away from CTA.
As Sheep Guts has said, in the Carribean, pilots show how it can be done with the right attitude.
I haven't heard of too many mid airs in the USA or Europe where there are many times the number of aircraft operating in a smaller airspace. The system has been proven workable.