ORIGINAL: mr_matt
One thing I forgot...Carl Maroney made a point to mention that he had indeed been to a jet rally. Heart of Ohio if I recall correctly.
He said that he does not remember seeing a safer group of fliers at any event he had been too. He said in other circumstances he does not like to go to the flightline, but at this event he felt very comfortable. I thought that was a great thing to say.
Carl was a Heart of Ohio in 2002. I, as well as others, talked to him at length. At that time, my main concern was the turbine waiver process. I also talked to him about the fact that if jet fliers needed "competency" testing (suggested flight schedule for waiver), then there was a larger need for 1st time prop fliers and helicopter pilots since the majority of accidents and near accidents, I witnessed, involved those types of fliers.
As you can see, we are still the ones being targeted for providing the "most risk" to our fellow AMA members and AMA's long term viability. It just depends on how you view "liability / risk management" ie. one serious jet crash in the future or many death or near death crashes (and perhaps property lawsuits) from the other "98 percenters."
Just my thoughts .......