Firstly- this is an excellent post and it's good to see so much objectivity. One thing I would like to raise, further that to what Fair Weather Flyer quite rightly mentions about what it will take to get the public on side is that even a serious incident is unlikely to help improve the situation for any pilots employed by contractors used by the loco operators. Any loco airlines invilved in a serious incident may well escape blame and even liability - and more than likely the pilots and /or the 'mini companies' they are part of (in the case of FR at least ) will not only assume the blame but also the liability. The airlines have set up mechanisms to distance themselves from any liability, even though it is their policies and working practices that have produced this exceptionally unhealthy culture.