Whenrealityhurts
If "broken" airplanes were taken airborne and crashed, when they could have stopped, I don't think the SOPs surrounding V1 would be THE industry standard. The record is quite clear--the statistics say taking it airborne is safer. Yes, statistics and safety is about probabilities, not absolutes. On almost 15,000 feet of runway at JFK, a TWA L-1011 aborted AIRBORNE after a false stall warning, everyone got out of the fire following a very hard landing and severe damage. Was that the right decision?
GF
PS: At least in the USAF I graduated from, pilots were anything but followers. My acquaintances in the RAF, RAAF and RCAF would be shocked at such an accusation. An AF doesn't have any combat capability with a flight crew force of followers. I include the enlisted members in that assertion.