Posted for Michael Smith <msmith@cervicalspinespecialists.com>:

 Dear Listers,

 Another thought on the FAA seemingly being overbearing.
 
  I would always lean policy towards protection and safety over cost, as the
 consequences of failure are so severe.  In the medical arena, (I am a spine
 surgeon, and all I do is high risk cervical spine procedures), we routinely
 monitor spinal cord decompression cases with expensive technology, probably
 wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars, constantly searching for the one
 time a postoperative quadriplegia (not, in the words of some of my patients,
 a four wheel drive vehicle) because of the serious ramifications.  We
 routinely use prophylactic antibiotics and postoperative regimens to
 diminish infections, blood clots, and so on.
 
 In 18 years and well over 3000 surgeries, I have never had an infection or
 paralysis.  Will I keep monitoring? You bet.  Why?  It is the right thing to
 do in spite of the cost.
 
 I can't imagine someone would imply a lesser standard would apply to
 aviation.  Ask the people who went for a ride on those T34's what they would
 have thought in retrospect about spar AD's.
 
 Michael D Smith