Line #451 Main/AcePilot


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16	[[quoteright:349:[[ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ace_pilot.jpg]]]]
17	[[caption-width-right:349:''"I heard a rumor that [[Franchise/StarWars Vader]] had his [[AceCustom TIE prototype]] made to stop this guy from vaping him in simulator battles."'']]
18
19	->''"Rudel flew 2,530 combat missions claiming a total of 2,000 targets destroyed; including 800 vehicles, 519 tanks, 150 artillery pieces, 70 landing craft, nine aircraft, four armored trains, several bridges, a destroyer, a cruiser, and severely damaging the Soviet battleship ''Marat''."''
20	-->-- '''Website/{{Wikipedia}}''', on [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons Hans-Ulrich Rudel]], aka [[RedBaron The Eagle of the Eastern Front]]
21
22	In RealLife, an ace is technically a fighter pilot with five or more kills. This is harder than it sounds; even in conflicts like the World Wars, where aerial combat occurred on a vast scale, the average pilot had zero ''confirmed'' kills from the day he got his wings to the day he bought his farm. In [[UsefulNotes/WorldWar1 WWI]], where the concept of a "flying ace" was first invented, it was mainly for morale-boosting propaganda-- air combat at the time was in large formations where individual skill mattered less than teamwork and numbers. In [[UsefulNotes/WorldWar2 WWII]], only about 5% of pilots made ace, and they were responsible for 50% of all air-to-air kills. The term is most commonly associated with aircraft pilots, but other types, such as tank aces, also exist.
23
24	Ace pilots are common in fiction, most prominently in [[HumongousMecha mecha]] shows and any SpaceOpera featuring [[SpaceIsAir space fighter planes]]. They tend to be more prominent in RealRobot shows, where the mecha themselves are fairly equal and the pilot's skills are more important, than in SuperRobot shows, which place more emphasis on the power of the mecha while the pilot's main asset is HeroicSpirit.
25
26	An ace pilot will likely display all sorts of ImprobablePilotingSkills, such as the HighSpeedMissileDodge. They may or may not come with [[WingMan wingmates]]. They will often have MachineEmpathy, allowing them to sense problems from subtle differences in how their craft moves/feels/sounds, especially if flying their AceCustom. Depending on the time period, may wear an AdventurerOutfit. An Ace who excels [[ExaggeratedTrope even beyond other aces]] is known as an Ace of Aces, a title typically granted only to a nation's highest scoring ace.
27
28	An ace pilot is not necessarily TheAce in terms of personality, although they can be. Famous aces may be given a cool-sounding nickname like, oh, say, the RedBaron. They also may only be GracefulInTheirElement, and are (though not TheKlutz) plodding on land.
29
30	As well as anyone has been able to determine, aces are born, not trained.[[note]]Indeed, most Air Force combat training is in how to ''avoid'' getting shot down.[[/note]] But ImprobablePilotingSkills or ImprobableAimingSkills do not guarantee one to become an ace. The most important factor is luck; that is, to actually meet enemies and face them in the air. In WWII, only 50% of American fighter pilots ever met Axis airplanes in the air. On the other hand, in a target-rich environment, such as that which the RAF faced at Malta, any pilot will eventually become an ace ''if'' he survives long enough. The second important factor is rank: it must not be too low nor too high. Most kills are scored by flight and squadron leaders, who essentially control when and how their formation engages. Ranks below First Lieutenant usually serve as wingmen, whereas Lieutenant Colonel and higher ranks are usually preoccupied with desk jobs. Many pilots have actually refused promotion in order to be able to fly and score victories.
31
32	Note that [[WingMan wingmen]] also may themselves be aces, especially if they fly in a target-rich environment. Sometimes aces prefer to fly together as each others' wingmen. This is known as ''Fat Cat Flight''.
33
34	'''Piloting Styles Preferred By Aces'''
35
36	* ''Steamrollers'' are aggressive types who favor in-your-face frontal assaults, raining fire or blows on their enemy to keep them off-balance. Experienced pilots can almost always dodge a frontal attack, [[DeathOfAThousandCuts but if you keep pressing the attack, sooner or later they might slip up and take a hit]]. Because this tactic results in exciting, close-ranged fights with a lot of interplay between the two combatants, this is a particularly popular variant for protagonist aces in fiction.
37	* ''Bushwhackers'' are [[CombatPragmatist cunning, devious pilots]] who eschew easy-to-evade frontal attacks in favor of taking potshots from the rear or other blind spots. When engaged in a duel, they try to wriggle out of it and drop out of the enemy's field of view so they can come in from another direction and catch the foe off-guard. Frequently, bushwhackers will sacrifice spare weapons as decoys, distracting the enemy so they can ambush them from behind (e.g, [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration the Picard Maneuver]]). Most real world aces are Bushwhackers, as are most [[RealRobotGenre Real Robot]] protagonists due to the nature of the genre.
38	* ''Snipers'' are similar to bushwhackers, but rather than using skill to escape a duel, have the accuracy and firepower to end each duel the moment it begins. They hide behind asteroids, colonies, or cloud cover, popping up to take potshots at their targets, and try to avoid close combat and running battles at all costs.
39	* ''Pluggers'' -- for want of a better term -- are [[StoneWall defensive players]], who manage to stay calm and collected even under continuing attacks from bushwhackers or steamrollers. By continually dodging and deflecting enemy attacks, they can tie up otherwise dangerous foes in time-wasting sparring matches, and may even be able to sneak in the occasional counterattack. In fiction, this style is typically the province of secondary characters, but there are occasional leads who fit the profile (such as ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'' hero Uso Evin).
40
41	Note that fights against other veterans are usually a better indicator of an ace's style than battles against {{Mooks}}, who are generally taken out with little effort.
42
43	Another classification, coming from the Finnish Air Force, is differentiating pilots who fly with their "brains" versus pilots who fly with their "muscles". Those who fly with their brains usually have superb mathematical and 3D skills, being able to manage the situation like a computer and form a clearer view of the chaotic scene of battle. They are excellent shots and do not take unnecessary risks but rather attempt to attack the enemy from his blind spots and break off ASAP. Those who fly with their "muscles" are superb pilots, extremely aggressive, prefer dogfights and maneuvers, and are good with aerobatics but not necessarily crack shots. Either can become aces. "Bushwackers" and "snipers" are "brain" pilots whereas "steamrollers" and "pluggers" are "muscle" pilots. The difference is best illustrated by the von Richthofen brothers: Manfred (the original RedBaron with 80 kills) was a "brain" pilot, whereas his little brother Lothar (with 40 kills) was a "muscle" pilot.
44
45	Civilian examples exist as well, and [[BadassDriver not just for aircraft]]. Although civilian pilots obviously don't meet the military definition because they're not killing people unless they horribly fail, some civilians have saved lives and property with overwhelming skill and capability, overcoming multiple engine failures, hydraulic failures, or ''many'' other incidents which would fall under NoOneCouldSurviveThat
46
47	----
48	!!Example subpages:
49	[[index]]
50	* ''AcePilot/{{Gundam}}''
51	* AcePilot/LiveActionFilms
52	* AcePilot/{{Literature}}
53	* AcePilot/LiveActionTV
54	* AcePilot/VideoGames
55	* AcePilot/RealLife
56	[[/index]]
57
58	!!Other examples:
59	[[foldercontrol]]
60
61	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
62	* Eren Yeager and [[spoiler: the other Titan Shifters]] from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. [[spoiler: You thought piloting a 15 meter tall giant wasn't possible? Think again! This show at its core is a HumongousMecha Anime]].
63	* The various versions of ''Manga/Area88'' feature many aces among the mercenary pilots, including protagonist Shin Kazama, his friend Mickey Simon, and base commander Saki Vashtal. There are others, but they tended to die shortly after being introduced.
64	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has two main examples, Suzaku Kururugi for [[TheEmpire Britannia]], and Kallen Stadtfeld/Kozuki for [[LaResistance the Black Knights]]. Several others can be considered above average such as some of the Knights of the Round, and some of the Black Knights, but none of them hold a candle to the above two.
65	** Kallen is a definite steamroller, which is required because her Guren [=MKII=]'s most useful weapon is close-range, which means that she has to be aggressive in order to survive. Even when she gets long-range attacks, she sticks to this in most cases. Suzaku himself has noted that even with [[spoiler:Lelouch's Geass command to "live" placed on him]], he cannot beat Kallen, implying that she is arguably the best pilot in the Code Geass universe.
66	** In an odd case of "Unstoppable Force meets Immovable Object", [[Characters/CodeGeassSuzakuKururugi Suzaku Kururugi]] uses the same strategy, even though his Lancelot is a well-rounded machine not nearly as suited to it as hers is. But Suzaku, being Suzaku, simply fails to capitalize on this in areas that his opponents lack... unless he's on a mission. This is particularly telling with any battle where he and Kallen clash, save when emotions get in the way.
67	** While [[SquishyWizard not exactly an exceptionally skilled pilot]], [[Characters/CodeGeassLelouchLamperouge Lelouch vi Britannia]] is a definite Sniper: while the Burai he used at the beginning is a mook with some cosmetic modifications, his later Knightmares -- the [[SuperPrototype Gawain]] and the [[AceCustom Shinkiro]] -- have [[GlassCannon brutal long-range firepower to make up for the lack of close-range fighting capability]].
68	** Oldrin Zevon from [[Manga/CodeGeassOzTheReflection Oz the Reflection]] is an ace, but it is never clear which piloting style she prefers.
69	* The main characters of ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' all take turns acting as ace pilots with their own personal space fighters when their bounty has a spacecraft of their own or when air power is called for with Spike being the most skilled. In the movie, the BigBad is preparing to release his nerve gas WMD and the government scrambles fighters to stop Spike, who is trying to stop the BigBad, since they would rather cover up the problem rather than fix it. Despite the fact that the government pilots are elite special forces flying the most advanced planes in existence, Spike easily defeats them all using his fighter which is more like the TheAllegedCar.
70	* Pete Pumps from ''Ginban Kaleidoscope'' was this before he died in Episode 1.
71	* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' has several Aces, but in tanks instead of planes or giant robots:
72	** Ooarai: Anglerfish and Hippo team are both bushwackers, Turtle Team is a Sniper (but only when Anzu is on the gun), and the rest are Pluggers
73	** St. Gloriana: Darjeeling is a plugger, Rosehip is a Steamroller
74	** Saunders: Kay is a Steamroller, Alice is a Bushwacker, and Naomi is a sniper.
75	** Anzio: Anchovy is a bushwacker by necessity
76	** Pravda: Katyusha is a steamroller, Nonna is a sniper, and Klara is a plugger.
77	** Kuromoromine: Maho is a steamroller, with the rest following in her style.
78	** Jatkosota High School: Mika is a bushwacker, and Jouko is very much a sniper.
79	** Chi-ha-tan: Kinuyo and most of her team is a steamroller through and through, but Fukuda prefers a bushwhacker style instead.
80	** University Team: Alice is a bushwhacker.
81	** BC Freedom: Marie and Oshida are bushwhackers, Andou is a steamroller.
82	* [[Anime/GunBuster Noriko Takaya]] [[TookALevelInBadass evolves into one]] nearer the end of the series. [[CoolBigSis Kazumi Amano]] and [[TheRival Jung Frued]] are introduced that way.
83	* ''Anime/HeavyMetalLGaim'': Daba, Leccee, Gablet... most of the main characters, really.
84	* The ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise has a bunch, and an interesting tradition of the best pilot in each show ''not'' being the main character:
85	** Max Jenius in the original ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'', and Milia Fallyna on the other side, until [[DefectingForLove the two fell in love]] and she defected. Max takes this to such an extent that WordOfGod has confirmed him to be ''the'' best pilot in the franchise, bar none. Even when in his fifties and with somewhat "rusty" piloting skills in ''Anime/{{Macross 7}}'', he still outperforms every other Ace in the series ''combined'' when he hops in a fighter.
86	*** While not the absolute best, protagonist Hikaru Ichijo was an extremely skilled pilot as well, as was his squad leader, Roy Focker.
87	** Sylvie Gina and Nexx Gilbert in ''Anime/MacrossII'' (The main character, Hibiki Kanzaki, is an [[IntrepidReporter Ace Reporter]] flying unarmed civilian craft instead).
88	** The only reason why Isamu Dyson of ''Anime/MacrossPlus'' hasn't been dishonorably discharged yet is because of his incredible piloting skills. He's still alive and active during the events ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'', and is mentioned in supplementary notes as having kicked Ozma's ass in training matches while piloting an outdated plane. His rival/former friend Guld Bowman is at least equally capable.
89	** Gamlin Kizaki in ''Anime/Macross7''. Nekki Basara is arguably an even better pilot, but he's an ActualPacifist.
90	** In prequel ''Anime/MacrossZero'', the aforementioned Roy Focker is the best pilot in the UN Spacy. His protege Shin Kudo is an excellent pilot as well, being able to even initially hold his own against a [[TransformingMecha Variable Fighter]]... while piloting a regular F-14. Their main rivals DD Ivanov and Nora Polyansky are no slouches either, DD especially having ''trained'' Roy, and clearly a superior fighter.
91	** Ozma Lee in ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'' is SMS's best pilot, and possibly in the entire ''Frontier'' fleet; even near the end of the show, he is still able to out-duel main hero Alto Saotome by a couple of points due to his [[OldSoldier much greater experience]] and Alto being quite conflicted at the time. Michel, meanwhile, was the company's ace ''sniper''. However, the show's best pilot is probably Brera Sterne, thanks in large part to him being a {{Cyborg}}.
92	** Messer Ihlefeld in ''Anime/MacrossDelta'' is Delta Squadron's ace, and easily shows the difference between honed skill and inexperienced raw talent whenever he effortlessly shows up protagonist Hayate Immelman's piloting. He frequently gets in duels with the Aerial Knights' own ace, Keith Windermere.
93	* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' has Nanoha in a high-ranking position in an alien air-force, the lack of planes not being an issue when you can fly without them. In fact, her official in-show nickname is "Ace of Aces". Her combat style is ''steamroller''. It is worth noting that mages in ''Nanoha'' have strong shields, and mentally-guided projectiles help with aiming, so it's more a matter of "breaking through their shields with brute force" than "hoping they'll slip up and take a hit". The one ace Nanoha has never beaten in a square fight is Signum. She's the ultimate ''plugger'', wearing down her enemies with a strong defense before unleashing her own [[WaveMotionGun Wave Motion Sword]].
94	* In ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'', Eagle Vision is able to defeat all three Magic Knights / Mashin in his first sortie against them, due in part to his analysis of their weaknesses.
95	* ''Anime/TheMagnificentKotobuki'' features a [[AmazonBrigade whole squadron]] of Ace Pilots, with over 200 kills between them all, in inferior planes.
96	* Both Klaus and his mother of ''Manga/MaidenRose'' are flying aces, Klaus having at least 10 confirmed kills marked on his plane's tail in one flashback.
97	* Akito Tenkawa of ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', as well as his mentor Gai, do this, though the former is also known to use Bushwhacker-style tricks when the situation calls for it. Akatsuki & Ryoko are probably the best Aestivalis pilots in the series, though.
98	* In the ''Mazinger'' series, [[Anime/MazingerZ Kouji Kabuto]] and [[Anime/UFORoboGrendizer Duke Fleed]] grow into the role (specially Kouji. In the first chapters it was painfully obvious than he had no idea of how to pilot a war vehicle, and the consequences of it were just so painful to him. Nevertheless, through training and battles he became a true ace). However [[Anime/GreatMazinger Tetsuya Tsurugi]] not only was trained into it before the series but also he is the TropeCodifier -- and a {{deconstruction}} -- of HotBlooded ace pilots in HumongousMecha anime.
99	* Similar to the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' example above, ''Anime/MyOtome'' has plenty of aces among the Otome. The two top combat aces, Haruka and Shizuru, are textbook examples of the Steamroller and Bushwhacker respectively.
100	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' gives us ''professional'' [[ChildSoldiers kid pilot]] Asuka to contrast Shinji, the epitome of OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent spineless protagonists. Unfortunately all the piloting skill in the world [[AnyoneCanDie won't save you]]. It will make you look like a HotBlooded badass in TheMovie, though.
101	* ''Anime/OvermanKingGainer'' has three main ace pilots Gainer Sanga, Gain Bijou, and Cynthia Lane.
102	* Noa Izumi from ''Franchise/{{Patlabor}}''. She's not really ''amazingly good'', though, so much as ''always reliable'', and in the ultimate RealRobotGenre series, that counts for a lot more. In one episode, her "forward" points out that her reaction time is worse than Ohta's, but her motions are more efficient (Ohta will start moving first, but Izumi will complete the action first).
103	* ''Anime/PorcoRosso'': Porco was called the "Ace of the Adriatic" and Curtis is also known for his prowess in combat flying.
104	* Even ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' follows ''Macross'''s tradition of the best pilot not being the main character (aside from Max and Miriya), with Maia Sterling in ''WesternAnimation/RobotechTheShadowChronicles''
105	** Rook Bartley from the Third Robotech War/''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada''. Also Lancer, for that matter.
106	* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'' AKA ''Anime/BattleOfThePlanets'' AKA G-Force AKA Eagle Riders gives us two in Ken The Eagle (who is named Ace in G-Force) and the man known as Red Impulse.
107	* ''Anime/{{Shirobako}}'' has a [[ShowWithinAShow production]] in its second half ''3rd Aerial Girls Squadron'', about a team of {{Ace Pilot}}s flying outdated 1960s craft to fight an alien invasion.
108	* Lt. Fukai Rei from ''Literature/SentouYouseiYukikaze'' is an ace on his own right but [[CargoShip his close relationship with his plane's AI]] makes him even more effective.
109	* ''Anime/StrikeWitches'' features various historical UsefulNotes/WorldWarII aces... re-imagined as teenage girls. With [[UnusualEars animal ears]]. And no pants. In terms of tactics, most of them appear to be Bushwhackers or Steamrollers, while Sanya and Lynette are Snipers.
110	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Simon the Digger. For that matter, [[TheParagon Kamina]], [[SixthRanger Viral]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Lordgenome]]... One could make a case for almost ''[[WorldOfBadass any main character who gets in a Gunmen]]''.
111	* Shun Kuroeda in ''Anime/TomicaHyperRescueDriveHeadKidouKyuukyuuKeisatsu''. Specializing in sniping, he's a super-prodigy who can pilot a Drive Head despite not being "chosen" by the Drive Gear. And his skills are above-average, too.
112	* Lux Arcadia from ''Literature/UndefeatedBahamutChronicle'' is one of the best pilots in the series thanks to his skill with nothing more than just a quack job Drag-Ride that easily wants to get shot down. His fighting style is a Plugger as he usually just turtles until the opponent gets tired out but that's because he's just using the fight as nothing more than a training exercise.
113	* In ''Anime/TheVisionOfEscaflowne'', the heroes are both Steamrollers by default. WarriorPrince [[TheHero Van]] and KnightInShiningArmour [[TheLancer Allan]] both pilot LightningBruiser Guymelefs armed only with swords, forcing them to quickly close with the enemy and overwhelm them with skillful swordplay. Interesting, TheDragon Dilandua and his henchmen are clearly Bushwackers and Snipers, using stealth technology and advanced ranged weaponry to try to overwhelm the heroes rather than going toe to toe with them. Given the themes of honour and chivalry in the show, this contrast is more than a little thematically appropriate.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
117	* In ''Animation/GuardianFairyMichel'', Kim can pilot Honeybee in any situation and uses all of its modes to their finest capabilities.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Comic Books]]
121	* ''ComicBook/{{Arrowsmith}}'' is about the title character's gradual growth into one in a fantasy version of World War One.
122	* In ''ComicBook/AthenaVoltaire'', Athena is an aviatrix by profession, having been part of an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstorming air circus]] (which she got involved with thanks to her father, who knew people in the world of travelling entertainment thanks to being a stage magician). She then became a pilot for hire, which is behind most of her adventures. She's good enough to take out attacking fighters more than once without needing to shoot back.
123	* ''[[Comicbook/{{Blackhawk}} The Blackhawks]]''
124	* In ''ComicBook/{{Chassis}}'', anyone who competes in the Aero-run has to be an ace pilot by definition. This includes Chassis [=McBain=].
125	* ''ComicBook/CombatKellyAndHisDeadlyDozen'': In later issues, the Dozen acquired their own ace pilot in the form of Jack 'Mad Dog' Martin, the so-called 'scourge of the airways' until he [[TheSoCalledCoward supposedly lost his nerve]].
126	* Examples from Creator/DCComics war features:
127	** ''Johnny Cloud'', aka "The Navajo Ace" (a literal WWII ace)
128	** Hans Von Hammer in ''Comicbook/EnemyAce''.
129	** Steve Savage, the Balloon Buster in WWI.
130	** In ''ComicBook/HuntersHellcats'', Snake Oil worked for a time as a barnstormer in carnivals before the war. He is in charge of flying the planes the Hellcats frequently steal when escaping enemy territory.
131	* ''ComicBook/DeffSkwadron'':
132	** Kommanda Uzgob has flown 52 missions by the end of the comic, leading to 14 dogfight victories, 89 assorted other kills and only two lost airplanes. By orkish standards, he's probably one of the best there ever was.
133	** Killboy is the official Deff Skwadron ace, having flown 34 missions, scoring 10 dogfight victories and 60 other assorted kills. He's lost 36 airplanes, mostly [[RammingAlwaysWorks thanks to his unorthodox flying style]][[note]]he twice managed to hijack an enemy airplane, get back into the air, and then ram that one into an enemy as well[[/note]].
134	* Lord Richard Quackett from the ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse is implied to be one, having flown in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI -- as a balloon buster (see below in the Real Life section) and lived to tell.
135	* The Marvel version of ''[[ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel G.I. Joe]]'' had several ace pilots on both sides. Ace (Definite steamroller, going straight at Wild Weasel's nose at the end of their first match, and winning by detonating weapons dangerously close to him in their most recent match), Slipstream, Wild Bill (For helicopters instead of fighter planes), and Maverick come to mind for the Joes. Wild Weasel (Bushwhacker/plugger, likely only a plugger due to the toughness of the Cobra Rattler) was one for Cobra.
136	* Jack Fury (the father of MARVEL badass ComicBook/NickFury) was a pilot in the war.
137	* Marvel had ThePhantomEagle, a pilot who fought for the USA in World War I. Because he had relatives in Germany, he had to fly as a masked mystery man.
138	* French 1960s (and onward) ''TanguyEtLaverdure'' had Michel Tanguy and Ernest Laverdure.
139	* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
140	** ComicBook/WonderWoman herself is usually an excellent pilot, she does have an invisible plane after all which is usually some kind of Amazonian fighter.
141	** ComicBook/SteveTrevor is almost always an excellent pilot regardless of continuity. It's evidently an inherited trait as his mother was one as well, as a flight trainer and one of the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII.
142	** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': One of the galactic slaves who aids in Diana's slave revolt and joins the revolution used to be a pilot and quickly jumps back into the role. She's able to skillfully pilot all sorts of captured Sangtee Empire vessels. While neither she nor her race are ever named she resembles Franchise/GreenLantern Xrill-Vrex
143	** In addition to making Steve strictly an excelent pilot instead of him also being a spy ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'' adds another great pilot to the supporting cast; Lt. Lawrence Stone, one of the Tuskeegee Airmen.
144	* Baron Eric von Emmelman was UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne German flying ace who was hot down over a Polish swamp in 1918. After rising as ComicBook/TheHeap some 24 years later, some later stories had him take to the skies again despite being a near-mindless MuckMonster: the long buried instincts of Eric allowing him to fly fighter planes against Axis flyers.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
148	* Snoopy from ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' flies his doghouse with the best of them as UsefulNotes/WorldWarI Flying Ace, [[TheRival arch-rival]] to the RedBaron.
149	%%* ComicStrip/SteveCanyon, among many others from his strip's long run.
150	%%* Dude Hennick from ''ComicStrip/TerryAndThePirates''.
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Fan Works]]
154	* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': In this ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' fanfiction, [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnon Lauren Griffin]] gets to demonstrate her pilot skills again when she makes a particularly sharp turn with her Osprey to OutrunTheFireball.
155	* ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'': Although she was ''very'' broken when the story starts out, Asuka was her squad's best pilot, with the greater number of kills. During a scene Ching praises her performance during the battle of the Geofront and when she and Shinji used a barely-moving prototype mecha in Germany to fight and defeat several fully-functional MP-Evas. Later she has a new TransformingMecha and kicks butts with it.
156	* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': Asuka is the best HumongousMecha pilot in the base, having trained since she was four and devoting her life to it. As they bond, Shinji and Rei also improve their performance with their war machines.
157	* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfiction ''FanFic/AKingdomDivided'', Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust are those, of a bushwhacker kind. Flitter and Cloudchaser, on the other hand, employ a tactics of steamrolling an airship with [[MoreDakka 20 mm automatic cannons]].
158	* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': Among the main characters, Asuka is the best HumongousMecha pilot. She even [[spoiler:fought and killed an EldritchAbomination while pregnant. She fought that battle so hard her teammates were amazed.]]
159	* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfAnElderGod'': Shinji, Asuka and Rei are more skillful and more competent than their canon selves. In their first engagement, Shinji and Rei managed to kill an humongous spider-alike EldritchAbomination had turned the whole city into a giant cobweb infested with billions of spiders. In her first engagement Asuka tore a SeaMonster to bloodied pieces when it got her angry. And every time they killed a new EldritchAbomination they became more powerful.
160	* ''Fanfic/CodeGeassPaladinsOfVoltron'': Kallen arguably the best pilot of the team, rivaled only by Suzaku. As all of the Paladins pilot {{Empathic Weapon}}s, though, what type they are is up for debate.
161	* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': Asuka travels to Tokyo-3 early to help with Shinji and Rei's training. When Shinji asks if she is right with them getting kills while she remains benched, Asuka replies she is rationalizing that it will be thanks to her training. Shinji replies it is not a rationalization because she was the best pilot and he was just lucky.
162	* ''FanFic/IntheShadowofGods'': [[Franchise/MassEffect Joker]] gets to show of his skills by catching Shepard and the Chief in one of the Normandy's side doors as the pair flies through space.
163	* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': The Children and their wingmen are young but accomplished pilots. The best in the base are Asuka -- a steamroller -- and Shinji -- a bushwhacker -- (and possibly Kaworu).
164	* ''Fanfic/{{HERZ}}'': Shinji, Asuka and Rei are all excellent HumongousMecha pilots with more than one decade of experience, although Shinji is the only one still has a functional Eva, and he seldom sorties.
165	* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': Asuka had prepared her whole life to pilot war mechas and fight giant alien monsters, spending twelve years of hard training and rigorous preparation. She was the best pilot in the base, but every time she sortied and her skill seemed to be insufficient, her fragile self-esteem deteriorated, which in turn made piloting her mecha harder. By the end she had become unable to pilot... but since she [[spoiler:had gained super-powers]] for that point, she did not mind much.
166	* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'': After returning to the past, Shinji's performance with his giant robot gets his co-workers impressed and shocked, since they did not expect he was so good. However he considers that Asuka is better pilot and fighter than he could never be, and when he meets for first time --''again'' -- he takes care of praising her skill, knowing her confidence is very fragile.
167	* ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'': Asuka trained very hard since she was three to be the best mecha pilot ever. However, her frequent defeats eroded her fragile confidence progressively until her mind snapped. However she still got to show how good she was when she [[spoiler:ripped the MP-Evas apart.]]
168	* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': Asuka was the best and most rigorously trained pilot in the squad, and she got a good number of kills under her belt. However, as the story progressed and ''[[Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} her powers surfaced]]'' she got to choose between remaining a pilot or being a super-heroine full-time.
169	* In ''Fanfic/NeonGenesisEvangelionGenocide'', Asuka was her squad's best pilot, even although she was constantly defeated. When another [[EldritchAbomination alien monster]] attacked the base in chapter 6, she was the only one capable of defeating it.
170	* In ''Fanfic/ThousandShinji'', Asuka is not only her squad's best mecha pilot but also her world's master of physical combat. Her final battle against the MP-Evas is described in-story as "a hive mind of nine killing machines versus the perfect single warrior."
171	* ''FanFic/LandingDay'': Veen and Garasso, who are part of Harbinger 2-6's striker force. Both easily outpace their fellow Strikers and take out several of the human fighters.
172	* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal sees the evolution of the Air Watch, from its beginnings in a couple of Feegle mounted on tamed birds, to incorporate Lancre-trained Witches with a passion for flight. [[MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong Olga and Irena]] become the first two Air Witches in the Watch. As the need for pilots expands, and the Watch acquires a brace of {{Pegasus}} flying horses, more skills are learnt and with a greater number of Witches graduating from training in Lancre looking for jobs, the very best witch-pilots are recruited to what becomes, by degrees, an Air Force. [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13154617/1/The-Price-of-Flight Olga Romanoff]] finds herself being regarded as the best flying Witch in the world; at the latest point in the evolution of Ankh-Morpork's Air Force, she finds herself commanding the best part of sixty fliers and proficient in a bewildering variety of flying Devices. Part of her backstory involves fighting in the air over Lancre, during the Elven invasion described in ''Literature/TheShepherdsCrown'', and leading her pilots in knocking down quite a lot of air-capable Elves on yarrow stalks, thus qualifying herself -- and several other witch-pilots -- as combat Aces. This tale is [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13154617/3/The-Price-of-Flight here]]. Olga boasts all four types in her command:
173	** The Steamroller: [[{{Kaiserreich}} Hanna von Strafenburg]]
174	** The Bushwhacker: [[UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} Tatiana Grigorenko]]
175	** The Sniper: [[UsefulNotes/FinnsWithFearsomeForests Kiiki Pekkissalen]]
176	** The Plugger: [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRifles Olga Romanoff herself]].
177	* ''Fanfic/Strikers89'': Lt. Frank "Warhound" Bishop is an almost textbook example of a Steamroller, flying his aircraft incredibly aggressively.
178	* ''Fanfic/Strikers2016'': Lt. Morgan Laroux-Bishop is a hybrid Bushwhacker/Sniper, relying on opening a fight with very large volleys of long-range air to air missiles, followed by exploiting the resulting confusion and panic to eliminate any surviving enemy aircraft.
179	* ''Fanfic/Batman1939'': Captain Steve Trevor calls himself the best flyboy America has, and a captive BodySnatcher is unworried by their plane being fired on because she's seen his memories and knows he really is that good.
180	[[/folder]]
181
182	[[folder:Films — Animation]]
183	* Hiccup from the ''Franchise/HowToTrainYourDragon'' series is a dragon rider example. It's notable that, unlike the other riders, Hiccup is just a much of a part of the flying processes as his dragon, Toothless, due to the prosthetic tailfin he made for him, that is controlled via left pedal.
184	[[/folder]]
185
186	[[folder:Music]]
187	* The novelty song "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" actually has the facts correct (on the human half, anyway); Manfred von Richtofen really ''did'' rack up 80 well-documented confirmed victories (and another 20 or so suspected ones) before he was brought down.
188	* Music/IronMaiden's "Aces High" takes the viewpoint of an RAF pilot during the [[UsefulNotes/TheHomeFront Battle of Britain]].
189	* Music/RadioTapok: In addition to Oleg covering Music/{{Sabaton}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV8d4Grhej8 "Night Witches"]] in Russian before he started writing full-length albums, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKHpec-yFKM "Белая Лилия"]] ("White Lily") is about Lydia Litvyak, a Muscovite woman who became the first of only two female fighter aces in history (the other being Yekaterina Budanova, also from the Soviet Air Force) before being killed in action in the Battle of Kursk. Depending on the source you read, Litvyak is credited with five to twelve solo kills and up to 66 partial kills. The song declares her TheDreaded to the Luftwaffe and also alludes to the supernatural aspects of "Night Witches" with lines like "Приоткрывая врата преисподней, в ночь / Собирая души врагов" (roughly "Opening the gates of the underworld into the night / Collecting the souls of enemies").
190	* Music/{{Sabaton}}:
191	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcemHIqmkYI "Night Witches"]] covers a regiment of [[AmazonBrigade female Soviet bomber pilots]] who became legendary for flying outdated biplanes in nightly harassment missions against the German Army, who nicknamed them the ''Nachthexen''. The song plays them up as near-supernatural in their ability to strike silently with nearly no warning.
192	--->''From the depths of Hell in silence\
193	Cast their spells, explosive violence\
194	Russian nighttime flight perfected\
195	Flawless vision, undetected''
196	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1snEYPg8TXs "The Red Baron"]] is a biography of Manfred von Richtofen, discussing details such as the aforementioned 80 kills or how he was first enlisted in the cavalry.
197	--->''And he's flying\
198	HIGHER!\
199	The king of the sky\
200	He's flying too fast, and he's flying too high\
201	HIGHER!\
202	An eye for an eye\
203	The legend will never die!''
204	[[/folder]]
205
206	[[folder:Pinball]]
207	%%* Featured on the "Stall Turn" table of ''VideoGame/PinballDreams 2''
208	* The player is this In Creator/WilliamsElectronics' ''Pinball/F14Tomcat'', a lone pilot pitted against General Yagov and his seven-fighter squadron.
209	* The ''Pinball/AirborneAvenger'' is implied to be one.
210	[[/folder]]
211
212	[[folder:Podcasts]]
213	* ''Podcast/TheAdventureZoneBalance'' has [[spoiler: Davenport.]][[spoiler: He's spent basically his entire life preparing to be the pilot for the IPRE's mission, and come the final battle, he's once again manning the Starblaster through the Hunger's forces.]]
214	* Jet Siquliak of ''Podcast/ThePenumbraPodcast''. Doubles as a [[{{Pun}} pun]]: he's both an Ace Pilot and an [[UsefulNotes/{{Asexual}} "ace"]] pilot.
215	[[/folder]]
216
217	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
218	* ''Ace of Aces'' was a game which simulated combat between two UsefulNotes/WorldWarI biplanes using only two matching books, each filled with views of the opponent, seen from the cockpit of the player's plane. The players selected their next move, exchanged numbers and ended up on a new page showing the result. If a player choose badly, this could be a shot of incoming machine-gun fire.
219	* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' has pilot skill ratings along with gunnery skills for marksmanship. The piloting skill is used for everything from preventing your 'Mech from overheating to [[DeathFromAbove jumping on top of your opponent's mech and crushing it beneath you]]. Pay enough Battle Value and you can get a very good pilot for your most expensive 'mech.
220	** In-Universe-wise the ''Battletech'' setting has had multiple Ace Pilots, with each main timeline having at least one FamedInStory example. These include characters like [[TheMagnificent Natasha "Black Widow" Kerensky]], The Bounty Hunter, [[OneManArmy Kai-Allard Liao]], [[BadassFamily Morgan Kell and his son Phelan Kell]], [[ActionGirl Danai Liao-Centrella]] and [[RetiredBadass Gray Noton]].
221	* d20 Future's "Dogfighter" advanced class.
222	* ''TabletopGame/FlyingCircus'' is a game specifically about flying WWI-style biplanes with [[DesignitYourselfEquipment an extremely detailed plane creator]] as a mercenary company of [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores absolute degenerates]] in a [[{{Kaiserreich}} land of Germanic states]] [[AfterTheEnd after an apocalyptic version of WWI]]. The Masteries system as well lets you specialize in one of four styles of fighting that each map perfectly to one of the above styles.
223	** Bushwack pilots are well, Bushwackers, sneaking up on foes to shoot them out of the air unaware
224	** Dogfighters are Steamrollers, aggressively turnfighting and wearing down their opponents for the kill
225	** Slipstream pilots are Pluggers, focusing on evading and defending until the enemy slips up
226	** Sharpshooters are of course Snipers, focused on accurate long-range fire. The only Mastery [[GuyInBack gunners]] can take.
227	* A trait on offer to players in ''TabletopGame/{{Rocket Age}}''. For a more specific example look to Herr Aldritch Switzer, Nazi test pilot and scientist.
228	* The ''TabletopGame/StarWarsD20'' roleplaying game has always had some kind of Ace prestige class. The revised d20 edition had ''two'': the Ace Pilot and the Jedi Ace. And since the Ace Pilot had 10 levels and the Jedi Ace had 5, the ''really dedicated'' Force-sensitive pilot character could max out both.
229	* In the ''TabletopGame/SystemsMalfunction'' tabletop game, the "Vehicle Expertise" and "Ace" perks allow characters to become ace pilots of the vehicle of their choice. In the LARP, the Pilot class allows characters to be ace pilots of Mini-Mecha and/or remote-piloted drones.
230	* The ''TabletopGame/{{Warbirds}}'' RPG is focused on the player characters being mercenary fighter pilots in a setting where that role is analogous to "rock star who shoots people". Bluntly, if you're not a skilled pilot, you're probably an NPC. In the Guild, anyone with ten dogfighting kills is a "dogfight ace", while ten strafing kills is a "strafing ace"; there are certain plane upgrades you can only take if you've reached this status, and some require you to have fifty in one category (an "Elite Ace") -- you get free plane upgrades as your killcount rises, although if it gets shot down you need to start over or drop a lot of money on getting your kite back up to scratch.
231	* [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Aeronautica Imperialis]] has pilot skill ratings used to determine the chances of a pilot pulling off an impossible maneuver (e.g. flying at '0' altitude, normally a crash for a non-ace pilot, and not dying). 'Ace' pilots (those who have scored five kills) have a better pilot skill rating (generally 3+ or 2+ instead of 4+ or 3+) and thus a better chance of not dying. And then you have the [[CoolPlane Nightwing]] squadron of four planes that shot down sixty six hostile fighters in one engagement. Technically impossible under the AI rules because a Nightwing has enough ammo to down only nine fighters before being forced to disengage (and you'd have to be really lucky to pull it off anyway), but possible using the Apocalypse rules.
232	** In the main 40K game, you can buy Ork Dakkajet planes an ace pilot, known as a "Flyboss", who has survived more dogfights than he can count (i.e. six or more). This increases his Ballistic Skill rating when shooting at aircraft and skimmers to a princely 3, the same as the average human infantryman.
233	** In the ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'' RPG setting two of the options for a Voidmaster's special ability are ace pilots (either for large starships or space fighters). The Flight Marshal alternate career rank allows a Voidmaster to become even more of an Ace Pilot. Oddly enough, rules for fighter combat (as opposed to deploying entire squadrons) weren't added until much later.
234	** One of countless mini-expansion articles for ''TabletopGame/{{Inquisitor}}'' added Glavian pilots, drawing from Midas and Medea Betancore from ''Literature/{{Eisenhorn}}'', who supplement natural piloting skill with cybernetics that add a solid +20 to piloting rolls, which is a hefty bonus even in a system where most dice rolls are percentile.
235	* In ''TabletopGame/XWingMiniatures'', virtually every single ship has at least one named pilot with unique or at least uncommon talents and a Pilot Skill of 7 or above -- people like Luke Skywalker, [[Literature/XWingSeries Wes Janson, Corran Horn]], [[VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed Juno Eclipse]] and Boba Fett, have Pilot Skill 8. The Aces among Aces, however, are those with Pilot Skill 9. There are only nine characters with Pilot Skill 9: Darth Vader (TIE Advanced), Soontir Fel (TIE Interceptor), "Quickdraw" (TIE/SF), Han Solo (YT-1300 - and has two cards with different talents), Wedge Antilles (X-Wing), one version of Poe Dameron (T-70 X-Wing), Talonbane Cobra (Kihraxz Fighter), Dengar (Jumpmaster 5000), and Fenn Rau (Protectorate Starfighter). Amusingly enough, since Pilot Skill is used for ActionInitiative, this means that unless he's up against one of the others mentioned, Han is virtually guaranteed to [[MemeticMutation shoot first]]. In terms of the piloting styles, jouster lists lean towards Steamrollers to rip enemy ships apart as quickly as possible, arc-dodger lists favour Bushwhackers to evade enemy lines of fire and [[CherryTapping slowly wear down enemies who can't actually respond]], and turret lists like big, durable Pluggers who can soak up arc-dodgers' low damage output and don't really care much about fire arcs. Most of the above aces are Steamrollers who specialise in dealing lots of damage quickly (Vader, Poe, Quickdraw, Dengar, Talonbane Cobra and Wedge); Han is a Plugger with some useful tricks first and foremost, Soontir is a Bushwhacker, and Fenn Rau can either fight like a Bushwhacker or Steamroller depending on how you fly him (although Bushwhacking with him tends to keep the pressure off his GlassCannon ship).
236	[[/folder]]
237
238	[[folder:Web Animation]]
239	* Four Seven Niner from ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' is a Plugger, flying an apparently-unarmed Pelican. Has, to date on screen, done the following:
240	** [[SurpriseVehicle Hovered]] ''[[SurpriseVehicle feet]]'' [[SurpriseVehicle below and stood off from]] an oil rig-like structure.
241	** [[AwesomeButImpractical Avoided fighter fire]] ''[[AerialCanyonChase by flying through an ice canyon]]'' in one of the few justifiable examples of the latter trope.
242	** Retrieved a package and two Freelancers ''in freefall''. '''In a city'''. '''''While the building they'd just jumped off of was collapsing next to them'''''. '''''UNDER FIRE'''''.
243	** Navigated an AsteroidThicket while evading enemy fire, deploying a Freelancer team, and eventually saving the [[CoolStarship Mother of Invention]] from a tactical nuke while outracing the blast radius.
244	** Performed a VTOL landing out of freefall from flight altitudes. In seconds. The maneuver was so delicate that she needed an AI to give her the countdown to deceleration burn ''with her reaction time factored in''.
245	[[/folder]]
246
247	[[folder:Webcomics]]
248	* Many of the characters in ''Angels2200'' are the character type, if not specifically 5-enemy-pilots-killed aces.
249	* Broch Landry from the comic ''GoodShipChronicles'' is perhaps the greatest pilot alive, but also dangerously unstable and prone to snap necks at the slightest provocation.
250	* The ''Hark! A Vagrant'' strip about [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=206 Billy Bishop]] (see also RealLife, below).
251	* Eddie in ''Webcomic/JackieRose''. Despite his skittish nature, he can fly an airplane expertly to get through narrow crevices and even shot down three planes in a dogfight. This even goes all the way into his past when he managed to pull up a plane when it was nosediving ''when he was no more then 11 years at that point''.
252	* The T-Girls of the RemixComic ''Webcomic/JetDream.'' Harmony Thunder was (pre sex-change, as Jack Thunder) a literal Korean War ace.
253	* Captain [[ShoutOut Anzollo]] in ''WebComic/SecondEmpire''. He successfully evacuated his Emperor and his troops from the heavily defended Skaro, and later on he became one of the titular Second Empire's best pilots, taking the fight to the massed forces over Ziragalen and blunting the offensive before it had a chance to start. Even knowing he was going to die, he used ExplosiveOverclocking on his own engines to successfully disable a couple of dozen pursuing ships.
254	%%* Sally Skunk from ''Webcomic/SilentSillies'' is one in the "Mavericks and Mummies" story.
255	* Daniel Kruger in ''Webcomic/{{Avania}}''. Each pilot of the White Knights squadron could qualify, but Daniel Kruger is particularly noteworthy as his skills in the mock-duel with the Black Lanners pilots demonstrate.
256	[[/folder]]
257
258	[[folder:Web Original]]
259	%%* Zenna, Prince Samuel Race, Mac, Cabin, Rotor, Kara, and Larson from ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG''.
260	* Stol, the longtime helmsman of the ''Enterprise-B'' from ''Roleplay/ToBoldlyGoAStarfleetQuest''.
261	[[/folder]]
262
263	[[folder:Western Animation]]
264	* ''WesternAnimation/TheDeep2015'': Kaiko Nekton is the underwater equivalent of this. Will says she is greatest sub pilot alive and all the evidence supports this. In "The Dark Orca", she discovers she can roll the Aronnax: something no one thought was possible.
265	* Zap Monogan from ''WesternAnimation/DexHamiltonAlienEntomologist''.
266	* Launchpad of ''[=DuckTales=]'' (Both the [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987 1987]] and [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017 2017]] versions) and ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' fame is an excellent pilot capable of flying anything. ''Landing'' it, [[CaptainCrash on the other hand]]... In the comics continuation of ''Darkwing Duck'' Launchpad even claimed he could fly the [[WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers Ranger Plane]] in a CutawayGag. Gadget (not a bad pilot herself) disagreed (though she probably said it because Launchpad is too big for the Ranger Plane).
267	* ''WesternAnimation/EllieTheAce'' has the title character, Ellie, and TheRival, Danny.
268	* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'': [[Characters/FinalSpaceTheTeamSquad Sheryl Goodspeed]] calls herself the "best pilot in the universe". Hints at how good she is include her flying the ''Crimson Light'' out of Inner Space while the dimension is collapsing, and her lightfolding the ship through a Titan's skull ''while Gary and [[spoiler:Quinn]] are on the ship's outside without them getting shredded''.
269	* ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'': He-Man's mother, Queen Marlena, gets a chance to show off her skills in the original series episode ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKseOaDSCRU The Rainbow Warrior]]''.
270	* Glenn Quagmire from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' been shown to be quite skilled as a commercial pilot, safely landing the damaged airline after it had been hijacked in the episode Passenger Fatty 7
271	* Captain Turanga Leela from ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' is able to pilot the Planet Express ship through whatever wacky adventures the crew finds themselves in.
272	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', both [[TheBrigadier General Iroh]] and [[UptownGirl Asami Sato]] are shown to be amazing biplane pilots. Bonus points to General Iroh, who figures it out [[IndyPloy completely on the]] fly. Asami at least had six months to become an ace.
273	* ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'':
274	** Molly's mom Layla is a bush pilot, and is complimented on her piloting throughout the podcast. She knows everything that’s going on in interior Alaska: what scientists are where and which ones always get into trouble, what the weather will be and if it’s dangerous to fly or not.
275	** Trini's mom Joy is an Army helicopter pilot and very capably pilots a rescue mission to the top of Mount Denali in "Molly and the Great One."
276	* ''WesternAnimation/PAWPatrol'':
277	** The aptly named Ace Sorenson, a preteen pilot whom Skye idolizes. She is even shown teaching ''adults'' how to fly!
278	** Skye herself is the Patrol's aerial rescue pup. She is among the most reliable and competent of the pups.
279	* Celery from ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo''. She is great at piloting the flying saucer, avoiding asteroids and other threats with ease. In fact, Carrot mentions in "How Come the Moon Changes Shape?" that Celery has been voted the best driver (well, technically pilot, but the Bortronians tend to treat saucers like cars) in the Bortron system for three years in a row.
280	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' has Hera Syndulla, the captain of the ''[[CoolStarship Ghost]]''. Racking up kills among [=TIE=]s is one thing, but she's also one of the very, very few people who have outflown [[spoiler:Darth Vader]]. She also flew the prototype for the B-wing in both its initial test flight and its first combat mission.
281	* ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'':
282	** T-Bone and Razor seem to favor a mix of Steamroller and Plugger styles. An example of an Ace with a back-seater -- T-Bone's the pilot, Razor's the gunner/weapons officer.
283	** The Red Lynx, being a RedplicaBaron, is naturally one of these. Even as a ghost piloting an old broken down ''biplane'' he is able to hold his own against the SWAT Kats and their Turbokat. The SWAT Kats only manage to shoot him down thanks to the sheer technological advantage the Turbokat has over the biplane. So when he hijacks the Enforcers' prototype fighter jet...
284	* Baloo from ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' is a situational bushwhacker/plugger; in open sky, he bushwhacks like a mofo via [[ImprobablePilotingSkills ridiculous aerial acrobatics]], in mountains and cities he plugs like a bastard through [[TryAndFollow terrain manipulation]], both supplemented by occasional usage of AbnormalAmmo -- the only option available to him, as he takes on waves of fightercraft with a ''cargo plane.'' Unfortunately, he's about as business-savvy as the idiots who caused MediaNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983. PerpetualPoverty to the hilt, followed by a buy-out he wasn't even ''aware of'' until the new owner unlocked his door with her own set of keys.
285	* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'' is full of characters who are excellent pilots, but special mention is given to Keith, who was a pilot prodigy and top of the class at the Garrison before being expelled due to disciplinary issues.
286	* Red Max, from ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'', at least as an InformedAbility -- his name is derived from the RedBaron and from Blue Max. By style, one can argue he's a bushwhacker.
287	[[/folder]]
288

Context Main / AcePilot