Originally Posted by 2StgTurbine

Think the the selection process and failure rate in training too. Unlike the military, a flight school will accept any student who can get a loan and as long as they have enough money, they will eventually pass. The military screens applicants to get the best and then sets high training standards. If they can't meet those standards, they are dropped. By the end of it, you are left with a select group of pilots whose abilities are far ahead of their flight time.