The reduction of vehicles has created a log jam of pilots. Fishing is correct here. And, it has created a frustration for players who prefer piloting to being infantry.
That being said, the game was VehicleField 2042. It was a necessary change. Fishing has to compete with the other log jammed pilots to get remaining birds. Currently, the fastest player gets it. While the issue seems to have resolved itself, if pilots were experiencing the clock times I was experiencing for the last couple weeks, they weren't flying.
A queue system makes sense to me. The benefits are, if there is a lot of vehicle turn over, you're gonna get a turn. The bad thing is, if you are behind a great pilot, you may not get to fly all game.
JMHO, the solution is to remove the automatic regeneration from the game (Yes infantry too). This will cycle vehicles faster and give more pilots opportunity to fly.
Lastly, the idea of level of skill pilots being an issue seems moronic to me. People have to learn.