VF--I'm very sorry to read of the deaths of those good pilots. However many other helicopter types have had design-related fatalities, and many of those resulting in airworthiness directives, the venerable JetRanger being no exception.
Crab--I'm sure your SFAR question was rhetorical, but while not a helicopter, off the top of my head there is at least the MU-2 SFAR, so the Robinson is not entirely unique among all types of aircraft. And certainly other helicopters have other vices. Jetranger LTE and Squirrel landings both come to mind and both have resulted in poor outcomes. There surely must be other examples.
I can't speak for other students, but I have received specific instruction on Vne limits, turbulence, and low-G conditions, and have operated the 22 and 44 at or near Vne many times in instructional settings. Personally, I don't feel comfortable in winds over 25KN, nor with gust spreads much over 10KN. There is ample opportunity to train in turbulence here, with New England mountain ranges in close proximity, and I have availed myself of that opportunity.
In a three dimensional cost/performance/safety trade-off, it's pretty clear that civilian pilots, whether they be budding professionals, purely recreational, or what might be termed "light" commercial, are willing to trade off the safety dimension. The siren song of low cost with, particularly in the case of the 44, good performance, is extremely strong. For those who's choice is don't fly vs. fly Robinson, you know how all those pilots are going to choose, because pilots want to fly.