Salute PEI !
You are touching upon some philosophy and $$$ for the commercial airline business.
How many $$$ are saved by one JT610 accident?
Unfortunately, after my brief experience as a basic line jock, I had three assignments in a row to the initial units of three jets. The muckety mucks decided I should be an instructor pilot, so my last 15 years was as an IP with only a few months as a pilot in a combat unit. One of those tours did not have two seat "family" models, so good ground school and good in-flight "advice" for the newbies was essential.
I do not feel that the new kids on the block cannot learn the lessons that served so many well since Orville and Wilbur. In the A-7D, circa 1970, we first saw the "systems management" aspect of our trade. Granted, my "one heart" tribe ( single seat, single engine) saw this way ahead of the commercial airline folks and our fellow military transport folks that had "crews". We had to be everything and handle all the aspects of the mission. Automation was drastically increased from the 50's and 60's legasy fighters and recce planes. But you still had to know all the systems and the overall aircraft avionics architecture. And did I mention the hydraulics, engine and electrical system stuff with no "flight engineer"?
We found that most pilots and the newbies could learn the systems and to exploit the new automation without a GIB as the F-4 folks had. The autopilot helped, but the nav systems and pilot-vehicle-interface ergonomics progress was the biggie. In the Viper, we began to see the "Atari" generation. Those youngsters had zero problems with our avionics and lack of a co-pilot or GIB. Some of the dinosaurs had to adapt, but I soloed folks older than me ( and that was really old! heh heh).
I would love to see more basics during checkouts and upgrades to new types. Get a "feel" for the plane and worry about the FMS and such after a few flights. So PEi's comment about dealing with "upsets" rings very strongly with me:
There is a similar assumption in the belief that ‘back to basics’ will provide preventative or recovery measures. Some pilots may be able to manage, but they are probably not the ones being ‘upset’.
I agree about the "natural" sticks being able to handle really harsh events, but I also feel from personal experience checking out folks that well-executed training courses can make a difference down the road when that "upset" occurs.
Gums steps off soap box...