Ascend Charlie
Sorry Old Chap.......can't disagree with you more.
Hope all your "Immeadiate Actions" are squared away......without the use of any Checklist or FRC's [and should anyone ask what FRC's are, my point is made].....because you will surely need them.
One thing the Military does well with Pilot Training is to drill into thick heads the repeated and repeated Emergency Procedures........and most progressive Civil Company's do the same.......you have to react first in any serious problem without thinking.......
A little exercise........."if your in cruise in a twin with max cruise power set.......and you hear that awful pooofff with gauges moving quickly, left yaw and reduced Nr.....!!!!"
If you have to think about your actions for one second......your in danger of yourself.
In another life........I can remember a very sincere and capable Captain suggesting the same question to me as we continually practiced an OEI departure from a simulated elevated helipad.....he persereved for an hour before he got it right.........so when one of his PT6's wheels broke up inside the "committed" call of an offshore approach..........it really was a walk in the park.........he teaches the same style now.
Practice practice and more practice.......our attitude is that a good Training Guy will set realistic scenerio's, without acting in a careless or dangerous manner, whilst allowing you to develop those skills that will save your butt.