Wonderful thread!
Mr. Tullamarine - thanks for reviving it. Such moderation is what sets PPRuNe above the rest.
Just a comment -
News spreads quickly these days, and bad news sells ad space, so it spreads at a much faster rate.
The general public doesn't hear much about things which could have gone pear-shaped but didn't because of pilot skill, MX skill, ATC skill.
I would suggest that this thread be sticky, and be contributed to on a regular basis, to serve as a repository for the vastly under-reported successes which make commercial, military, and general aviation as safe as it is.