Gaunty while I agree that Cirrus cockpit technology is pretty impressive and have no doubt it is increasing the 'participation rate' I have some reservations that it is increasing safety levels yet...it will in time ,possibly, but I am not sure it has yet.
In my view the reason for this is the technology can lead to pilots flying in conditions they may not have attempted in in earlier technology aircraft. There has never been, and probably never will be, a technology that has no downside.
Just like the technology improvements in the 1960s coupled with the marketing hype that suggested flying was no more difficult that driving a car attracted many unsuitable people to the cockpits of Cessnas and Pipers...making something which has inherant risk easier is not always a good thing from a safety point of view just a marketing/sales one...the scuba diving industry is a classic example.
The upside of these new aircraft is that they do have imbedded in them the Gami/engine monitor technology that I firmly believe should be mandated in all piston aircraft...but are the new owners being taught how to use it? A conversation recently with a brand spanking new Cirrus owner suggests not...and he is a BA pilot not a low time PPL....he most assuredly has the capacity to take in and assimilate the information. I found myself drawing diagrams on napkins and explaining it to him...and very receptive he was too...why the information was not forthcoming from the sales people I will leave alone. He has invited me flying in his Cirrus next time we are both in UK which I am really looking forward to.
One of the aspects of increasing technology in modern airliners has been the realisation that ever cleverer aircraft don't necesarily allow dumber pilots a safe haven. The vast amounts of information available can impinge on the pilot's ability to garner what is really important at any one point in time without extensive training and experience with the technology...extensive training and experience in the new technology is what is lacking in the current "ohh ahh" reaction to this latest technology leap from Garmin.