the basic ariway trainer is just that, basic. the airman simulates all sorts of complicated airways that you otherwise wouldnt be able to see in classroom training.
by hard, do you mean the sensation of hardness(like iron vs. peanut butter) or difficult?
if you mean difficult, that what i like about the air man. you can sim all sorts of airway variations. anterior airway, laryngeal spasm, trismus, angioedema etc. all at the push of a button in a dynamic environment so you can simulate treating said condition, seeing its effects and moving on.
very expensive, but a good training tool. i agree with you though, nothing beats live tubes with an expert trainer