matkat
I think you misunderstand me.
I totally agree that the civil world is much better regulated, which is why we keep build programs on the civvy register at the moment.
I don't however believe they are more regulated. Just far more practical and reasonable.
It is certainly easier to stick toys on an aircraft on the civvy register.
Airborne
You get absolutely no argument from me on any of that.
I think part of the difference between some of us on here is between what "airworthiness" currently seems to mean to those of us who fly them, and what "airworthiness" should be, which is a system to maximise the risk/cost compromise in terms of engineering, just like the Flight Saftey system should do for the operating.