skychaser
I agree absolutely.
What I was talking about in relation to SAFE, SAFER and SAFEST was not the regulatoryand surveillance actions required and whether or not the operator was doing the right thing, but the fundamental differences in safety "philosophy" for want of a different term, between the the two levels of certification i.e. FAR Part 23 for Normal Category aircraft < 5700kgs and FAR Part 25 for Transport Category aircraft >5700kgs.
For reasons of expediency and lack of immediately available equipment and as a transition instrument only, the FAA introduced a "Commuter Category" certification which lifted the FAR Part 23 Normal Category certification requirements as far as it was technically possible towards the requirement of FAR Part 25. This "Commuter Category" is due for 'repeal' I believe in about 2010.
It needs to be understood that the weight "distinction" was not jus an arbitrary one in the context of the development of the regs.
It was to separate and provide the basic standards for PRIVATE use of small aircraft (for that purpose defined as <5700kgs) from those intended to be used in the provision of TRANSPORT services to the public generally.
Simply, the philosophy being that the use of small aircraft for PRIVATE ops was considered to be "informed".
The public at large required, or it was considered necessary, a higher level of protection.
It is thus that I think of the different levels as
FAR 23 = SAFE
Commuter SFAR 23 = SAFER
FAR25 = SAFEST.