Originally Posted by Cubdriver

Not sure what you are saying. No amount of physical risk is excessive if you match it with an appropriate level of safety. You can get killed out walking your doggie (remember that movie?). If we see a talented aviator meet an untimely end, it is safe to assume that pilot exceeded the margin of safety for what they were doing. But not that such an activity can't be performed safely with the right safety measures. Meaningful statements about danger for a given activity must be based on accidents per number of hours, or events attempted. The rates may be high for some activities, but that does not mean they can't be done safely with enough safety considerations in place. If the rates are high, it would seem to indicate the current safety protocol is insufficient, but not that the activity is too dangerous to make safe.