And that makes me feel better, Mike, honestly. Not so much the fact that the backup for the "guaranteed 77 minute MFDs" exists (which I already assumed), but rather, that you're now
mentioning that backup. My quarrel was with the statements (from more than one person) which sounded like, "this won't happen to me because system failures in the aircraft I fly will not cascade beyond a certain point," or, "this scenario is so remote that even mentioning it is laughable." In my experience at least, if you're not considering the prospect of holding the flashlight between your teeth, you're not thinking about how bad it could get!
On your final note... in that my military experience was like yours--flying--I've never provided a PAR. I have, however, had the pleasure of working at a civilian approach control where we provided ASRs (and no, it wasn't during my tenure at LA approach!). So I can play the "no-gyro-make-half-standard-rate-turns-do-not-acknowledge-further-transmissions" game as well as most! Did them at least once per quarter to stay current, but in my career only had one actual. It was an A6 who had the nerve to complain that, when he broke out, his left wing was over the left side runway lights. This in the first 1/4 of a 10,000+ runway. Hmpf. No pleasing some folks!
Dave