MOR,
I dont believe using "Cocky SPIFR" of ex Air Force fast jet pilots as examples for failures in a Sim is really relevant. I would like to suggest that you can fail anyone in a Sim ride if that is your intention. I would like to suggest that people with the experience in operations that you mention would last longer before making embarrassing stuff ups than most.
Is it not a fact that the failure rate of the major equipment in modern aircraft is so low that one can complete a career without one significant failure. Is this not the reason that it is now common practice to have first officers commence on line operations in jet aircraft with some 250 hours total. 30 or 40 years back this would have been unheard of, what has changed that has now made this common practice. Dont believe it would be that the youth of today are that much brighter than yesteryear, must be that the aircraft are easier to fly surely???
Prospector