When talking about ageing aircraft breaking up, I don't recall other than 210's recently, and I don't think it's 'ageing' that's causing it? It's a now known corrosion condition right? So continually beating on about ageing aircraft breaking up in flight when it's not happening deflects from the real causes?
Instructors these days can present themselves for an upgrade without any recommendation, when they do this it's mostly always at minimum upgrade time, there are some extremlely poor standard Grade 1's these days. There are also some very good Grade 3 's that are willing to be guided as to when they are ready for 2. Either way, the experience base these days is very low and it's going to get worse, they're not going to stick around for long these days.