FH1100,
I read your interpretation of FAR regarding load factor, and have to pipe in. The load factor maneuver capability of virtually all civil helos is far, far less than the FAR requires, because the rotor and controls simply cannot get either that much positive or negative G. I know of only one helo that can do the +3.5 to -1.0, and that is a light Black Hawk.
Having signed the flight strain surveys and structural demos for a few helos, I can assure you that no helo you have flown meets those numbers, esp when at commercial gross weights.
The "extremely remote" statement is used because if the aircraft can't be made to go to that G, exceedence is by definition extremely remote.
Regarding the V22 accident under discussion, I am not privy to any accident data, but a quick glance at the accident puts it in the category of perhaps 60 helicopter accidents that occurred in low speed operations in the desert environment, much the fault of the environment and cockpits we build than the configuration.
I perhaps understand the V22 as much as anyone, from a maneuver/limitations/control standpoint, and I listen to the guys who fly the machine when I want to know if it is fit for service. Frankly, I was as tough on it as anyone while it was under development. But when the folks who are doing the missions speak as glowingly as they do, after hundreds of hours doing the real job, even I have to listen.
BTW, note that the next gen vertical lift for the US Military will have payload, speed and range criteria that are what the V22 was asked to do (and does) 2 decades ago by the USMC. This seems to say that the USMC vision has been vindicated by all the services. If you don't like high speed, long range vertical lift, the next few decades will be a miserable time for you!