Maybe? You could replace the FAA with voluntary certification. People could demand the same standards as the FAA enforces.
Let me bite the bullet:
Flying is arguably way too safe. In the sense that flying could compromise a bit on safety, and still be much safer than cars. If that compromise would lead to lower costs and thus prices, perhaps more people would fly and fewer would drive; leading to better safety on average. Despite flying becoming less safe.
Never thought I would hear someone making that argument. You think we should let more people die in plane crashes so that flying is cheaper?
We already know cheap flying with current safety standards is economically viable, with costs approaching the cost of fuel; see low cost airlines like Ryanair. So the most effective way to lower prices is for airlines to downgrade amenities and services onboard.
I think flying could be made cheaper and massively more convenient by getting rid of airport security the way it is done right now. Imagine planes being boarded like trains: there might be a security tradeoff but it would be offset by the massive time benefit for everyone involved.
I know I would take that risk, I consider my own time to be more worthy than TSA considers it to be
I don't think anyone is arguing about security to board a plane. They're talking about maintenance requirements and safety requires for when a plane is in flight. Things like airplane inspections.
As an example: planes almost never crash. Which is great! So you could drop the requirement to carry life-vests, without compromising safety numbers.
(If you want, you can invest 50% of the cost savings into eg anti-malaria nets, and you'd come out way ahead in terms of lives saved.)
Similarly, airplane seats are massively over-engineered. You could loosen restrictions there, and save weight and thus costs.
I think Japan might already have different domestic regulations there. I remember being on a domestic flight between Kobe and Tokyo, and the seats in economy class used a lot of mesh over aluminium frame or so. They looked a lot lighter (and also more breathable) than your typical airplane seats. See https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZDWQTNMB93mQs5Yz5 for a picture that I took.
I also agree with vlack-vingaard, but they already gave some good examples.
My guess is that you have two states of equilibrium. One is that accidents happen all the time. The other is that accidents are extremely rare. Both states can exist, but the middle ground is rare and impossible to engineer. The error in safety margins of overlapping complex systems is just too great.
That's a very abstract argument, and doesn't take into account any special features of planes.
So I can say: I just want planes to be as safe as, say, trains. (Or whatever other form of transportation is safer than individual cars, but not as over-burdened as planes. Perhaps busses?)
Let me bite the bullet:
Flying is arguably way too safe. In the sense that flying could compromise a bit on safety, and still be much safer than cars. If that compromise would lead to lower costs and thus prices, perhaps more people would fly and fewer would drive; leading to better safety on average. Despite flying becoming less safe.