Lou,so you've really signed off people?...wow
I've met guys like you , saying that following manuals means we're monkeys,not pilots...One of those 'experienced' guys tought me to use HDG SEL and the EGPWS in case of terrain avoidance , no matter the wing level procedure Boeing instructs,or the fact that the EGPWS is not allowed to be used for navigation..
One other guy had a habit of doing smooth landings by selecting flap 40 at 5'
, reason beeing smooth landing and saving the brakes
I can give you some other examples like that,all experienced pilots, who tend to think they know the plane better than the ones that build it.
One word I've learned long ago is that in our business the ones that die are the stupid ones and the better ones .The first are obvious but the last ones do it from the reason you say,they are damn good pilots,know all,had done all, they are not monkeys, so ignore the SOP,books,etc..those are for rookies.
I'm happy to fly with any pilot, rookie or top gun,but if he won't follow the SOP we'll have a problem..
If the on-house SOP it's bad ,then you may try to improve it,using the right channels.We are using the Standard Boeing SOP,and it's ok.
You are talking about teaching the low-experienced pilots to stop the a/t from retarding thrust during flare?...what next?..land on the left wheel,for a smooth landing? they are low-experienced pilots,how many instruments do you think they are able to include in a landing scan...too long to remember,maybe
Teach them to follow the SOP and they'll have a long and safe life...as one said those books are written in blood.