What buggered the industry, pure and simple, was 'user-pays' and the notion that GA wouldn't have to pay (much) because it would be 'free in G.' Remember G=Good
? I still puke over that one.
Everything else is arrant nonsense. Additional edit: why do you think US AOPA is fighting tooth-and-nail to keep their federally funded system? Because they've seen the horror story on this side of the world!