Don't forget .........
....... that I have focussed my comments in a global context. I am guessing that the current conversation relates to those areas of aviation that can be considered 'mature' but we can still recognise the dysfunctional nature of the 'systems' for the selection, training and mentoring of the FI community within them. What hope then for the less 'mature' regions of our world?
When you look at the global context you cannot use accident stats or incident reports as a realistic metric for in many cases the accident reporting and investigation procedures in many jurisdictions are not aligned with international norms. I have found that no region of the world has a monopoly on the ability to produce good quality aviators (the raw material for FI training programmes) and similarly those areas we would expect to be above the average are quite capable of turning out pilots that you wouldn't want to allow anywhere near a close friend or relative.
I have recently seen a map of the world which depicted in shades of orange the degree to which their governments were considered to be 'open'. It seemed to coincide quite well with the Transparency International's map of world corruption as well as my qualitative ratings of the many helicopter pilot licensing/training systems out there.
As a final point I have come across excellent pilots from every part of the world so my observations should not be taken as xenophobic, nationalistic, sexist or racist...... that just how it is.
G.