One wheel on my waggon
While the FAA may be seen to reinvent the wheel, they and the industry must not overlook that this has to be applied in a context which is very different from the original issue. Different vehicle, drivers, travelling surface, increased distraction, and higher task expectation; time for a new wheel, or at least think about wheels before the next one comes off.
Aerodynamically the 737 has had many evolutionary cycles. We have yet to see if the progression of assumptions about the trim system are valid for the Max. The differences between the Max aerodynamics vs the NG might still be excessive; or the change to the smaller trim wheel in the NG, or larger tail surfaces in the classic, all may be the undetected tipping point resulting in recent accidents.
Technology advancement; increased application of highly integrated and inter-dependent systems change the crew task which might have been overlooked in the same-type rating.
Operationally; the pilots who fly the Max will have different levels of training and experience from those in previous years. The training and experience required for an older design with updated systems cannot be judged against the modern, new designed aircraft and operational tasks.
Regulators define and check the standards; the current safety level indicates that a suitable balance is being achieved - except when it isn’t. We must not judge today’s pilots against the standards required many years ago; but today’s Max pilots require those standards, so how to close the gap.
As all of these aspects above converge, increasing complexity, fudged with assumption and belief in past successes - until something fails.
Don’t expect that the old wheel to fit or be sufficient for the range of foreseeable situations in this new world.