Easy Street,
Your input there is very timely. The balance between synthetic and live training is exactly the point I was making (and LO). There remains a massive difference between simulation and live - nothing (necessarily) to do with the quality of the simulation. At the end of the day, synthetic training gives an excellent foundation for students (and current crews/air trafficers/fighter controllers/FACs/etc) but there comes a point when live is required. I know it works well for the airlines, but I would hope the first time a pilot flies a live mission isn't in combat. Same for the FAC. And that was the point we were making. If you try to do too much in the sim, you also deny others the live training.