AAAAARGH!...ATTACK OF THE KILLER MODERATORS...
I'm sorry but cab driving nor HGV driving does not entail quite as much as does being an airline pilot.
...Duuh! 
Read my post again
WWW and you will notice that I never for one moment suggested otherwise. Even flight instruction in a humble spam-can is quite a bit more complicated.
The point being made was simply the relatively similar amount of "physical labour" involved.
...other than that, I'm pretty much with you all the way here!
Whether it's called "class consciousness" or "status anxiety" is really neither here nor there
scroggs - either way it amounts to the same old prejudice about "getting one's hands dirty".