Originally Posted by
Wide Mouth Frog
I don't believe for a moment it's envy, but I'm equally sure it's nothing to do with safety. If I were to guess I'd say it's more about an aggrieved righteous sense of who deserves to have the flying experience.
How many of the GA pilots ever push to improve their skills and knowledge beyond PPL level? The odd few might go CPL and IR if they want IMC transits, the majority are just happy to pass their licence renewal ride every year, gaining flying hours in the meantime but not necessarily gaining experience in difficult conditions or more complex scenarios. Meanwhile, in their minds they have been flying for a few years and know all they need to know.
Professional pilots know that every day is a school day, simulator training is essential for the stuff you can't practice in the aircraft (TR malfunctions for example) and they gain skills and experience of things other than straight line A to B in VMC.
Which of those two groups do you think would be safer in an uncertified and unproven helicopter?
Professionalism in aviation is earned not bought.