GF - I'm confused to be honest.
Aside from the obvious, there is a chasm which separates people's attitudes towards the responsibility demanded by vendors of professional aviation services who cradle the lives of those who by reason of their profession are required to travel by helicopter and the actions of someone who is doing his own thing in his own aircraft with his own people.
Does this mean the latter should be any less responsible than the former? Never. But, you were talking about attitudes and I am explaining why there is a difference.
I take it your reference to "the obvious" meaning the deaths at Shetland? Do we only seek to engage in this learning process when there is a loss of life? Further without knowing the facts around this 109 accident who knows if luck or judgement played the greater role in the avoidance of deaths in this accident.
This chasm that separates attitudes toward responsibilities is interesting. I'm not sure it is in the mind of the pilot is it? In fact actually I'd suggest that (for example) one might, as a pilot, at least an equal responsibility to flying ones wife and child around in your own Augusta 109 as you would flying a company machine with some random passengers on board. Note I echo your view of "at least an equal responsibility".
That surely becomes further blurred when private flying includes owner / drivers or owner / passengers. Further still when the consequences to others non flying would appear the same regardless of the commercial/private nature of the flight.
As I said not wanting to battle over this but it is interesting how one thread gets 115 pages of chatter around culture and something must be done... the other a shrug and an almost jokey attitude of "whats happened now, Doh!!!"....