Now we all know it takes quite a bit of tiem to gain the combat/weapon levels.

Light weapons is the easiest and has no issue since you get points from destroying anything although it goes up only a little from the mission.
Combat was second with the gains it gets from mission part.
The heavy weapons requires an immense amount of grinding to raise in level as it has only the mission to increase it.

So I am suggesting maybe an increase or an increase based on what weapons used or the ship itself to help determine the gains. This would allow someone ot use a big ship to improve heavy weapons at a faster rate.

More missions could be put in as well. Like escort missions and having a mission to go to a sector and protect a specific ship.

You've got combat pilot and heavy weapons backwards. You get heavy or light weapons experience depending on whether you use an S-port or L-port weapon. Try blowing up a bot with a devestator while not on a mission. Ta da! Heavy weapons experience is awarded.

Assuming that was just a mix-up: the fact that combat piloting experience is hard to gain is already well established.