I see I have found a subject that evokes a wide variety of opinion, which was exactly my intent.
So ::
Here is another of my opinions on this subject.
We would have a better level of airplane handling skills across the board if we structured flying training like the education system is structured.
To get a PPL you must first go to kindergarten before you enter grade school.
Kindergarten would be held in a farmers grass field and the school room would be a Cub, once the student mastered the Cub to solo they would then enter grade school....a regular flight training school where they would then be taught by rote and introduced to all the ancillary tasks such as radios, flight and engine instrument interpretation, weather and on and on until they either realized they were being screwed or they go broke.
.
For my dream machines I want the following.
A 450 HP Stearman and a Grumman Widgeon.