Fourth, any pilot that blindly follows the FD without "looking through" it to verify against the performance data that suitable attitudes are being commanded is a fool. FDs are very useful but not infallible and they are reactive, not pre-emptive.
"Looking through" the flight director presentation is quite difficult since most of the time the FD is being used means the pilot is concentrating on keeping the needles centred and watching for the slightest vertical or lateral movement. In my experience many new pilots to type are spooked as they try to centre the needles and because of their intense concentration on needles in a tiny square symbol on the ADI, they lose all awareness of the true pitch attitude
behind the needles.
This is especially so when conducting an engine failure at VR. The fact is very few simulator instructors whether current check pilots or not - will take the trouble of hopping into a control seat and actually demonstrate how to fly the engine failure. They are mostly perfectly content to watch the candidate lose the plot due to chasing the FD needles, over or under controlling on elevators, ailerons and rudder pedals and then from the back of the simulator, loudly criticise the candidate. Or just as bad, try to "talk them through"
IMHO if you have to resort to "looking through" the FD display in order to see the real nose attitude hidden behind the FD needles, then it is better to immediately switch off the FD to get a clean unobstructed look at the ADI attitude. Then at leisure turn the FD back on when it suits. FD's are an over-rated instrument system that have the potential to, and have led to, loss of instrument flying situational awareness