I quite like the RAT post, though personally find more value in the use of light, somewhat demanding GA aircraft. I am not a jet pilot - 'never flown one. But, back in the early '80's, after a really good read of the flight manual, I was able to totally solo master the full motion, certified DC-8-63 sim our airline had. After more than 40 hours, I never left it anywhere other than at the runway threshold, ready to go next time. I found that the handling skills I'd been taught, and maintained with aerobatic, tailwheel and float flying were valuable even on an "aircraft" of larger proportion. I'm sure the reverse is also true.
I would be pleased to think that the jet pilots are sent for circuits in something light, and a little twitchy, just so they can assure themselves, and the rest of us, that they have maintained the basic hands and feet skills. Better yet, if not one darned instrument works in the plane!
The pilot who trained me on Piper Aztec, and Cheyenne during that period of my life, went on to L1011. I went back to single Cessna (by preference). I took him flying years later, and was very disappointed and surprised to find that his efforts to land my C150 were a fail mostly every time. He'd lost the touch for "flying" the plane. And that was not unusual attitudes, that was just landing it!
I worry that general handling skills I, and many of my GA peers maintain, are less common in the big Jet world now.