On 13Jun2020 1225, Catherine Berry wrote:
> Yep, no maneuver drive. I remember having the same reaction when that
> first saw print. There was even (IIRC) a mini-adventure where the
> party had to rescue an xboat pilot whose ship was about to drift
> helplessly into some sort of fatal situation. You have to wonder how
> much these pilots get payed. Or how much their families get in the
> settlements. :>
The way I see it is this:

All Scouts get Pilot-1 in their first term. Entry into the Scouts is
fairly easy and does not depend on education or social station, though
survival is not, and the Scouts rarely throw anyone out. They also offer
a flat two points in skills per term.

So, they largely hire from not well developed worlds, and offer decent
pay and excellent education opportunities. All new scouts get trained in
basic shipboard skills and maintenance (hence why, like every career
except the Navy, being Strong is desirable in a recruit), then they do
their basic Pilot's course. That done, once a slot is available they get
stuffed into an X-boat and spend the rest of their term piloting that
(with the tenders providing maintenance, and the courses being
pre-plotted for them, it's the only skill they really need) and doing
further education courses, developing a weight-training habit, and
whathaveyou (and steadily going mad, an essential step because it's what
lets them fit into the scout service).

Survivors generally get moved to other postings, more interesting, but
no safer.

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>