The Ford model T was very successful, so why make it any better? Operations have been done without anasthetic for hundreds of years so we obviously don't need it?
Statements like the managers words in Volumes post and those above are ridiculous. They stifle advancement and improvement. If only those managers could see how they are actually making things worse, then we might actually see real leaps and bounds in current aircraft operation. I'm not saying the 747-400 is a Ford model T, but taking these things to extremes often exposes how stupid they are. If 1970's safety standards were still in operation, we would have serious accidents every week and that wouldn't be palatable to any of us. Flap and gear controls the same size, position and shape anyone?