RAT 5 and olster: Good analysis and very well said. Let us hope that someone can get your message across to the XAAs and airlines.
I sometimes feel that I am going backwards in ability. In the SIM, there is always the latest thing from the Tech. department to go through which has to be flown and the ECAM worked through - eating up literally hours of SIM time - and leaving very little time for actual flying.
On the rare occasions when we do finish early in the SIM, I ask if I can do a couple of go-arounds or whatever, but the response from the TRE and the other guy is always "no way mate, I want to go home".