"I'd take a TP captain who has flown a dodgy wreck around Africa or an ex military late 20's C130 pilot any day. THAT is experience."
Completely agree! I'd take those same pilot over 2500 hour cadet/737 etc pilots as well. Assuming they have 4000 or 5000 hours doing that. But I would take another pilot who has 12,000 hours now, flying airline for the last 5-10 years and has that same TP background. THOSE are the pilots EK used to employ as DEC. In my initial GS the lowest level of experience was 8000 hours - almost all came from that type of background.
With reference to your historical figures and the term 'old'. If old is above 30 then the list of 'great' people will far exceed that of the sub 30.