How about more ways to get Combat Piloting XP instead of mission bonuses and PvP?

I would suggest lowering the weapons XP for a bot kill by a certain percentage (25%?) and awarding that percentage as Combat Piloting points.

i pretty much agree that something should be done with combat piloting xp, its a pain, and doesn't make sense. if you shoot bots on your own you don't get any, but if you do as part of a combat mission you do. there really isn't a difference in fighting bots in a mission or out, fighting is fighting, piloting while combating is piloting while combating. ok maybe if you don't fly around and just swivel your ship in circles you shouldn't get any. haha

While I agree, I believe that 25% is too much, 5% of the bots XP as combat i could maybe see.

I've always considered the rationale behind the combat piloting XP only coming from missions is that it is an indicator of how well you can perform assigned tasks. Perhaps it needs to be renamed to reflect this.

IMO however, a good way to gain piloting XP would be to add some racetracks/target courses, and time you on your way through them. Set a reward system for completing the courses at certain time levels. (set it up as a sliding scale, so that the higher your level the less XP you get for completing the course)

anything to get the hamster tubes back, 'eh Spell?