Quote : " surprised no one has raised the 'turn off the airway' chestnut.... "
Don't ignore RA - the other guy won't and you get no more points (and therefore no more prizes) for an immaculate emergency descent which writes off two ac.
Which is exactly why, as has been mentioned here, and extra 20secs to let ATC join the team and be a major player, is a good idea. They may well have a nice escape route planned for you as soon as they hear MAYDAY. It might not be a straight ahead or a turn off, but a series of zig zags while they clear other a/c out of the way. In the sim it is always just straight ahead or 45 degrees off, in a straight line and plunge to 10,000'. Not much of a learning exercise.
As for the RA, that is why Eurocontrol advocate TA only. It should not happen.
I think we've done it to termination and the point now is that the old method might need reviewing. But, again, until a major incident I doubt it will happen; there is no incentive.