PJ2
Your assessment is on the money. The frog in the saucepan is not an admirable image, but nothing describes the willful ignorance of the Industry better. A slow degradation of scruples, regulation, and simple ethics has nearly destroyed our industry. I honestly don't know if it is salvageable.
A while back I made an observation about a commonality of failures in these accidents we see on this forum. Turkish, Perpignan, Colgan, Birgenair, many others. The procuring cause of these mishaps were unheard of in other times. A low level and hasty slow flight? A complete loss of cockpit discipline? An inexcusable loss of situational awareness? For me it started in Tenerife when a lack of cockpit teamwork ended in disaster. It woke me up.
This will sound nostalgic, but long ago when gasoline was fuel, and engines had to come off the wing every 3,000 flight hours for months, navaids were rustic, even laughable. Pilotage was an Art, and equipment marginal. I have to say it is now the reverse. Pilotage is marginal and equipment is an Art. Metallurgy and Electronics have removed the need for highly skilled airmen. Or have they? Some in a position to help are mute, Regulation is for sale, accidents are hushed up and 'mitigated', safety in general is now the enemy, and merely because it costs money. Life has become Politics, and Politics has become dishonest. Corporate politics and management have become merchantable, and nothing is 'too cheap'.
That's the problem, as I see it. What to do ?