I am sure most Pprune readers would have seen this video of aircraft battling strong crosswind landings. I found myself watching it again in horrified fascination even though been there-done that, a few times in my career. .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9OAng32F0
A well executed landing or take off in maximum crosswinds requires excellent handling skills and most of these are learned on the job as it were. With cross-wind component landing restrictions placed on low experience first officers you wonder how will they ever get the confidence as well as the skills needed, to handle the gusty crosswind conditions evident in the video.
I believe the solution is in simulator training. The majority of today's simulator sessions are on automatic pilot with concentration on instrument approaches. This includes type ratings. Because full use of automation is mandated by most airliner operators, and indeed encouraged by Regulators and aircraft manufacturers alike, the opportunities are getting increasingly limited for crews to keep up manual handling skills.
There are some who claim crosswind landings in simulators do not accurately reflect the real thing. In other words fidelity is lacking. If so, either the simulator is not being maintained to the required fidelity standard or it is not an airline standard simulator. I'm no expert but in my airline career I have done hundreds of crosswind landings and the Boeing 737 simulators I have "flown" in crosswinds gave as near as damn it to what I have experienced outside.
IMHO it is during type rating training where the skills at crosswind landings in jet transport types should be taught in the simulator. At present, it is probable that only three or four crosswind landings are given in the whole type rating and these are rarely above 15 knots. These are patently insufficient to qualify someone to fly on line and be deemed competent to land safely in the certified maximum crosswind for the type. That may be why company limits are applied to first officers until they have attained a certain number of flying hours on type.
Basic techniques of crosswind take off and landings have been unchanged for years. Some pilots never really master the skills needed while others are naturals. But three or four crosswind landings per year in the simulator and those rarely above 15 knots, will never adequately prepare inexperienced pilots for the crosswind gusts shown in that video. It is known that handling skills have deteriorated due to the accent on full use of automation. The problem is nothing has been done, apart from lip service by operators, to seriously combat the trend.
If it is agreed that seriously strong crosswind landings are what really reveals lack or otherwise of a pilot's manual handling skills, then surely simulator trainers should give priority to increasing crosswind landing practice so that landing at maximum crosswinds eventually becomes just another ho-hum event. Type ratings should not be signed off until candidates are able to safely and consistently land at maximum certified cross-wind components. From then on regular practice at these should be rostered during recurrent training.