The next gen USAF pilot training program put dudes from the street through 35 hours of in flight instruction in the T-6 and a large amount of low cost sim time ~ double that, and they are flying F-16's and F-35....
I find it crazy that the national average for a PPL is 80 hrs....years ago it was standard 40hr program. Solo after 10 hrs. Course it was $45/hr back then :P