sailing:
Hi! I guess we should come up with something here. Risk Assesment...something like "its ok for your daughter to be on a 4 engine plane with one out" and safety is: "I think you should go back to LAX with MY DAUGHTER on the plane".
While I understand the concept of risk and all that jazz, consider: Recently FEDEX wanted to be able to defer the whiskey compass on their planes flying over the ocean.
happily, this was denied.
With all the modern gadgets would it be ok? sure! But why? Just to make someone a tiny bit richer?
The world of the bean counter has been encroaching into our profession a little bit too much. I have no calculus for this statement...just call it a hunch after 30 plus years as a pilot.
The same hunches have allowed me to spot missing rivets from 50 feet away. And spoilers that were so bowed that when measured were out of tolerance.
By the way, I flew for one airline that did have a few seats facing "backwards" and Mr. Unsafe at any speed ( ralphy naider) even complemented our airline for this.
Have you ever watched a plane crash into the ground? I've seen it 3 times. One stall spin after a brand new engine was installed into a bonanza. Another when a C152 piloted by a very inexperienced pilot came in so fast that he tore off the nose gear ( conveniently illustrating the warning I had just given aC177 pilot about wheelbarrowing!)
Lastly, I watched as the smoke came up from a DC9 crashing in a violent Microburst at KCLT.
Two of these crashes, I had time to say to those nearby that trouble was a coming!
Instead of using a bizarre calculus to rationalize risk, its time to speak up and get things SAFER not more commercial! But that's just a hunch.
oh well,
jon