And with actual flying experience i mean pilots who flew real aeroplanes before they got into airlines.
I've worked with airlines where handling skills were light years ahead of HKG. There was culture of hand-flying proficiency and jets were flown efficiently. Simulators were accessible and training pilots were inspirational ( there are standout trainers here too just ask the cadets who they learn the most from ) .
Locally, our flying has become bureaucratized and tangential to the best practices of airmanship- I feel sorry for the guys who don't realize that there's an easier way when you can see the airport 20 miles away, so to avoid the comical rigmarole of briefing for two minutes, then running two checklists just to engage a single button to do a VNAV approach or the like on an "Asian" gin-clear day.
Lowkoon, the unions do have an urgent role to play but it requires an independence. I'd suggest HKALPA needs to be pushed up by the local unions as a voice on these matters.