Hey Paddy, although I hear your argument... you are way off base and missing so many comparisons its not funny.
1. Becoming a Surgeon is much more expensive than becoming a pilot yet you dont mention anything about the student loans the Surgeon would have. Is Doctor's school free in your country? Also, becoming a Doctor is much harder than becoming a pilot. Any Tom/Dick/Harry can go to flight school and get a commercial pilots license. Why don't you try an experiment and go apply for Med school and see what answer you get.
2. You mention about pilots being responsible for people's lives. What about the sergeon? I am a pilot and carry 250 people behind me, but generally I am just operating a heavy piece of equipment. I am trained to react to emergency situations and save people's lives. However the Surgeon is paid to "play" with people's lives in a very precarious and balaced way. Are the passengers in the back on the knife's edge of life as a patient being operated on with some kind of cancer? NO! They are sitting in the back with 100% health sipping their favourite drink. Is the pilot slicing into your bowels and taking out something while your life is precariously on life support? Come on man...get real.
Im sorry...I am a pilot...but dont even beg to compare our profession to that of of Surgeon.
I don't deny we are a skilled bunch, and most are professional and deserve recognition, but don't even dare to compare our profession to that of a Surgeon. The fact that you did so leads me to believe that you do not live in reality and have a blown up version of yourself because you can fly an airplane.
I follow your cause but definitely not with you.