Thanks to all for your responses.
I didn't mean to be disparaging towards the subject pilot - he's still a guy I'd drink with!
As I said I don't know why he failed - and I also don't know why he was there, or the effects of him not making the grade.
My comments and questions were aimed at whether pilot training was of a "systems" level rather than the nuts-and-bolts level, and whether pilots could readily assimilate to the engineering level of the same subject. In my experience pilots are taught how to work the cockpit controls - not to adjust an engine's Max N1.
I know some pilots who can't drive cars and some who don't care about engineering in any way, but that doesn't mean I won't go flying.
I think EGT's last Paragraph say it all.
....and its nice to see some pilots look into the Eng & Mech's forums ...and for MLL to be so stirred as to register for the right to respond!!