Fubar,
That is not the question that is being begged.
I would suggest the better question is why this situation is allowed to exist at all?
Where is the FAA, the insurance companies, and the pilot's unions regards such an important safety issue?
I know where the oil companies are.....talking to the actuaries to get the probability data and cost figures for such losses....so they can be factored into their calculation of the "Cost of Doing Business".
Safety to an oil company is merely risk analysis and costing.....human lives do not matter despite all the propaganda they put out to the contrary.
Elsewise....there would be a much stronger movement towards real safety improvements than is evidenced in the GOM.