Killaroo: Spot on in so many ways, and I don't admit to anywhere in my past other than it was very varied on type (all Boeing), operators & XAA's (all EU), but I recognise a lot of your sentiments. As a TRE/TRI the first rule was 'there are no stupid questions.' And your other comments, I always used to try, time allowing, to explain why some of the SOP's had been designed. The good ones that is.
It's interesting your story about EAI during engine start. I, as a TRE, 'tried' to have a discussion with the training dept about this. I had been doing a winter ops RST. It was blowing snow and freezing conditions. I started the first engine and selected EAI ON and started 2nd engine. In the debrief the TRE commented that EAI was an After Start Cx-list item, and showed me where it was written. I countered with the FCTM and Vol 2. where it says that "when operating in icing conditions, or anticipated icing conditions EAI should be ON."
He understood my argument, but was obliged to enforce SOP's. OK. Let's change the SOP then. That was like asking the Pope to allow priests to marry. That means I'll be a SOP monkey in the sim and an airman of the line. My bum is firmly on the ground in the sim, but on the line.............There were others.