Nige,
On that basis you may very well be right - but what you're talking about is declaring a further training requirement over and above that which already exists. In an ideal world, with money no issue, of course that's what the Sqn would want. However, trying to create a training requirement when none is perceived to exist at the moment (i take it the KDH issue you refer to is the wing oscillation dink several years ago now, linked to a known software issue that has since been rectified).
The UK's C17s now operate on a very regular basis into theatre without, touch wood, any major incidents that such a lack of training to which you refer might suggest.
As i said earlier - the sim procurement is based upon making sufficient use of the hours that it would provide. It's not the same as the C130/VC10/FJ sims where they are effectively owned and controlled by the Sqn. We could always fill the hours with quality training, but that would cost by the hour. Funding in the MOD is so scarce at the moment that i would challenge anyone to find hard cash for something that isn't deemed to be of the highest operational imperative - we can't even afford biscuits for the AOC for Christ's sake!
As you said "desirable, not essential", sadly.
I would love, however, to be proven wrong and see the C17 training expand to cover all eventualities, tactics, theatres, contingencies and emergencies on a regular but basis.
Here's hoping that a decision on UK8 isn't too far away and we'll find out for sure.
Uncle G.