Bealzebub- Clearly your argument is very Airline specific, it is obvious that your company is able to absorb Pilots of all experience levels into the structure and provide appropriate training.
I may not have provided the evidence for my argument that you would like to see but nobody has denied that what I have said is happening.
I agree with you that training and ability is important. I don't believe that simulator training is a means to an end in itself. However much ability you have it is unlikely, with the low levels of experience which we are talking about i.e. Captain 2500 hours, F/O 250 hours, that you have seen sufficient. As an example I remember as an F/O with just under 3000 hours Making an approach to Bergamo, the ATIS gave cavok and so I was fat dumb and happy, passing about 1400' on the approach with me manually Flying we were passed a visibility of 400m. Never having seen an approach ban situation in real life and the fact that my mental capacity was eaten up somewhat by manual Flying, I would have continued but for the experienced Captain in the left seat.
You could argue that it is just me that is capable of making this type of mistake with low experience but I don't think so, and my standard of operation in the simulator Always met the required level.
The point I am making is that however good someone is in the simulator, given the real life situation, if they have not got experience to fall back on they may not cope well.
If they fit the bill and pass the assessment should a Cadet go directly into the left seat with no experience?