Outhouse,
Hopefully, I can put a little reassurance back into "the system" for you...
unfortunately I suspect NO. Will the lobby of big business and company interests continue to have the influence they now have, answer YES.
I am a regulator (though nothing whatever to do with FAA, Sikorsky, or Cougar Helicopters). I am learning from this event, and will do better in the future because of it. It can be hard for a "little guy" to stand up to big business, but at the end of the day, they're asking for my signature on a recommedation for desgin approval, and I'll only sign, when I can see that compliance HAS been demonstrated, as the standard intends. Sometimes the wording of the standards are somewhat ambiguous. "Interpretation" can be a problem, though I cannot imagine how in this case!
As long as each "little guy" in the system does his or her job properly, the system works pretty well. I assure you that as every item of compliance requires the signature of a duly appointed person against it, before approval will be issued.
Everything our industry depends upon people doing their best for the next guy down the line. An "event" can serve well to remind us of how that obligation is so important...
Pilot DAR