I would reckon the only reason the aircraft is still there after you remove all the variables is because it's the cheapest, and therefore only, training option for most civillian pilots.
I wonder what the military statistics read for pilots with the same number of hours as the civillian guys who have these accidents. Although, this may not give a true reflection as military guys will get more flying time per week than their GA counterparts which would give better continuity to the training. It took me the best part of a year to get 45 hours when I trained, I bet military pilots do that in a few weeks.
Is it possible that having a more focused period ie. 6 months maximum training time, would help with training in that it would be easier for new pilots to get a feel for the aircraft quicker and not lose their 'touch' in extended periods between each training flight? For example, if you have just got the hang of hovering and have to stop flying for a few weeks, it usually takes you a bit of time to get back into the swing of things, but if the syllabus required that you fly almost every week, but preferably two or three hours a week, this could make the learning a bit more progressive.
Discuss......
