Flaps are also a big safety benefit in outlandings? Std Class ships come in comparatively much hotter?

Really? 44 contests flying a Discus and not a scratch. 5 retrieves with tail booms broken....all flap ships.
So, I say lousy pilots fly flap ships. Or, flap ship pilots make poor decisions.
Find the ship you want to race. It will take hours and hours to become tuned with her so you might as well love the ride.

R