Aeromedic - if you don't want risk you don't do or achieve anything. Life has a degree of risk associated with it, it comes down to managing that risk.
Just as cars have gone from drum brakes to disks, engines are now good for 200K miles etc and servicing intervals have increased and actual time spent in servicing has decreased as newer technology has replaced old so it is for aircraft. New developments mean less maintenance is required, and new maintenance techniques reduce the time spent actually doing services.
Romulus
Sure, we have better, newer and less labour intensive aircraft, but the risks are not the same in different industries.
Risk management in the aircraft industry is run by the carriers and MRO's, not the regulators.
Costs, unfortunately, dictate the level of engineer oversight and maintenance management. Pilots are under continual pressure to ensure on time schedules are kept and are treated like bus drivers along the way.
The carriers and MRO's in tough competitive times are under great economic pressure themselves, so it follows that risk increases to meet "on time under budget " milestones.
Management of that level of risk becomes the domain of the pilots and engineers by default when told "just do it !! "
Those companies that are under pressure have the pilots and engineers in this country to thank for being dedicated and committed to their jobs and we are lucky to have them.