Safety record
PJ2's contribution is, as ever, well worth a read. May I highlight one aspect of his broad brush?
He writes "there is increasing risk in an aviation safety system which has, ironically through its very success, become taken-for-granted."
That is a huge cultural issue. When people become satisfied with what is going on they often stop working the safety issue in the diligent and terrier like way that the UK has used for many years. There is no substitute for simply working the safety issues. If Aviation moves in to a culture where it stops doing that, then we will have a problem.
However, there is one bright light..........in the final analysis, Aviation is the ultimate self-regulator. A captain is not going to fly an unsafe plane as her life will be at risk along with the passengers, and an Engineer won't release an unsafe plane as her License is the basis of her lifestyle. I've seen a number of instances where individuals have stood up to the "career limiting" risks for the sake of safety. Long may it continue.