The best part of training should be honing the decision making process, because that is what keeps people alive.
Excellent. Sadly not enough operators follow that philosophy; certainly not in the trained monkey world.
But for me a touchdown is selecting reverse, no idea how one could train initiation a GA after TD without stomping this basic rule.
Just as a discussion point, landing performance is calculated without TR's. I hated the technique I observed by many F/O's, especially on shorter runways with auto brakes set, where they would remove their hands from the correct position on the Thrust Levers to holding the REV T/L's during the flare with the a/c still in the air; waiting to snap them open ASAP. IMHO this is conditioning the mind that you WILL land. Their brain is in land mode and their hands are NOT is G/A mode. There is no rush. I preferred the philosophy of - land, speed brakes up, a/c brakes working, steer, "I want to stay on the ground", select Rev Thrust. On B738 the braking remains the same after TR's are deployed.
Training does have its costs and limitations, including time available and effectiveness; I agree. However, these type of events do happen perhaps more than we think. Training might imply repetition, while a one-off experience can be of enough value to remain with you. I know that my first low level GA in CAVOK in the a/c stayed with me for my whole career.
What I used to do, when I had the freedom to decide as a trainer, was to design scenarios to experience elements of recent accidents. i.e. learn from others mistakes/misfortune and avoid the accident. Isn't that a basis of eduction? I wonder how many airlines introduced double flameout ditching in their recurrency program after Sully; compared to how many had done so before? The same after the BA 777 flameout at LHR? Is that realistic training? Yes they did happen, but how many times in the last 30 years worldwide? You can't do everything, indeed, but you can be as realistically effective as possible in developing relevant skills. Some of these one-off bizarre scenarios are fun; very challenging, but would the time have been better spent improving skills in more likely and useful areas?
All engine GA's from various positions in a Circling. It has been said that normal all engine GA's are the most common mess-ups, and they are simple. Imagine in real life if the same manoeuvre was messed up during tight circling. There are many others we can think of, I'm sure.
I'm sure there will be a wide spectrum of opinions on the philosophy; no right or wrong.