OAK465 - I agree, lots of excellent capability....and in fact IMO the newer Airbii have a more consistent and intuitive series of actions required to set up, for example, a LOC only approach with a VNAV-style APP DES vertical mode....more intuitive than the comparable series of actions required in, for example, the 73NG.
You make an interesting point regarding the comparitive ease with which an NG can be set up for a LOC approach:
If the LOC 18 were flown in an NG with IAN (Intergrated Approach Navigation), the setup for the approach would be identical to an ILS. Including the one button push required to arm the approach mode. The aircraft would then descend on a stable, accurate FMS generated glide path to a DA. Either using a single channel autopilot, or hand flown using the same symbology as an ILS.
The above capability strikes me as simpler, and more importantly a lower threat procedure. Flown with more accuracy (.3 RNP or .1 RNP). I wonder if these two pilots would still be alive today if they'd been provided a similar simple, consistent and accurate capability ? Especially at night, when possibly fatigued.