Martin
In some threads, I would agree with your sentiments, I don't here.
Although none of us are perfect, this report makes very sobering reading, and it should be the subject of open debate among pilots and, the general public. From a relatively low hours pplh pilots perspective, my opinion is that his decision to put himself and his passengers where he did was highly questionable.
That may be obvious to all of us, but in a chat forum, we have to type what we think to debate something.
For the record, if it ever happens to me I hope it would be fully dissected in here in the (probably vain) hope that the more fellow pilots talk about whatever questionable decision I might have made, the more likely it is that one single person might make a better decision one day. If I could have done better, I'd like others to learn from it.
The report is out - most people waited for that. I don't believe anyone is other than respectful of the fact that Colin was a talented and highly regarded business and family man, but the report leaves open his approach to detail and his attitude to risk. He would never have been as successful as he was without taking risks. But the evidence points at his own actions creating a sad legacy which does not mirror the majority of his life.
Would any other rotorheads reader expect us all to just read it, go away and not discuss our opinions amongst ourselves, and to hell with who else might read them and make of it what they will?
Lafite