Centaurus: a man after my one heart. We speak the same truths. You are spot on. I've had to tick the box on cadet x-wind landings. There were more important things in the syllabus (IHO of HOT), but as a confidence booster or crusher a x-wind landing is high up there. We were told to "train to a satisfactory standard", but how when the session is filled with other exercises which are deemed by the powers that be to be more significant.
Then, oh my word, I hear from mate that some airlines, to boost the cadets' flying skills are dropped in th deep end with 35kt x-wind sim training. How can you train that to a satis standard to a 150hr prop pilot in the 3 attempts the syllabus gives you time for. Of course a demo is the best option, and doing so building up from 15-20-25-35; the is if you think that 35kts is a good idea in the first place. I've no idea of their command course, but I wonder how much x-wind & gusty training is given to the gu who 2 weeks earlier was limited to 15kts as an F/O. Windshear training is not the same; the idea is to GA not land. And s Sod's law is that in the 1st 100hrs of command a testing x-wind will raise its ugly head.