IMHO, I think it really comes down to how you want to fly, personally I have no problems with raw data..its actually what my company SOP's call for to be used on departures and arrivals.
Some of the places we fly to, require all the automatics to be switched off, and you are left flying a 120 tonne jet purely in manual, a little intimidating at first...but when you get used to it, its really no big deal.
So far as keeping current, I think the biggest problem here is scan-rate...it might sound a bit odd to some, but I use flight-sim every now and then..it helps me develop the scan rate effectively.
I think the other key area is knowing your a/c configuration, and how this effects AOA, power settings, and ROD or ROC. If you put all this into place then you cant go far wrong..and if you do..it just needs small adjustments to regain the correct flight profile.
I dont think raw data is outdated, I think it will continue to be the primary means of accurately flying/navigating an aircraft, after all the FMC's/Air data computers of this world merely filter the info in such a way as to make it more representable to the human brain..nothing more. Basic flying skills..and basic scan rates can do exactly the same thing.
Just my thoughts
