I'm not sure that we need to do anything.
I was in America back in December 2001 (or was it January 2002), when I heard that a light aircraft had crashed into a tower block in Florida. My immediate thoughts were to pray that no one had been killed or badly injured. But after that, my thoughts were that it couldn't have happened at a worse time for aviation, when everyone in the US was, quite understandably, very wary about aeroplanes crashing into buildings.
What I found was quite the oposite. The fact that a small aeroplane could crash into a building without anyone being injured except for the pilot actually seemed set many people at ease. The public realised that yes, a B757 is a very dangerous weapon - but a C172 is far less dangerous.
No one likes to hear about crashes at any time. Crashes which involve the public are even worse. But the public, and even the media, do realise that light aircraft are not capable of causing another 9/11, and I don't think the media paranoia that you mention really exists.
FFF
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