IIRC, the Air Force’s Pilot Aptitude Test in the 70’s was heavily weighted towards reading analog gauges and choosing the correct reading. Now I think it went a little beyond just telling if a pilot candidate could read the amount of fuel remaining. Would the best explanation be judging critical thinking skills? One might think teaching students to read a clock would be an essential step in teaching students how to think. And heaven help our digital babies them when the EMP comes.
It also helps when the range spotter says, “Three ring at eight o’clock”.