I certainly was not an ace from Day 1 , but got through the system and became a safe bush pilot in Kenya for a few thousand hours in the 70s , had a struggle with ( African ) airline operation in the early days because training was so minimal then , you learnt on the line , which was difficult flying with the Pathfinder / Bomber Command captains from the 40s who booked no backchat / SOPS / CRM at all and whose risk taking was legendary so that their 'perfect ' record of landing at destination was quite breathtaking .
I went on to become a Captain at BA and a few other stops on the way .
I am currently flying NGs for a Middle East airline and am coasting towards retirement in 2 to 3 years medical always permitting as I am now 60 , but I know for a fact that all the FO's like flying with me because of my experience . We have to deal with lots of night flights to Indian destinations which are testing at most times , but especially now the Monsoon is kicking in.
I put it all down to the fact that my combination of bush and airline flying has given me a healthy attitude to terrain and weather that a textbook can never buy . I am still challenged by my flying and that is good . I am always staggered by the cockiness of copilots who know it all at 1000 hours TT . I keep quiet and then thoroughly enjoy their discomfort as the weather detiorarates and the rhythm of perfect SOP goes out the window. The ones who recognise their limitations are the ones who go on to be good pilots.
Humility is one of the great aviation virtues but is in short supply these days .
Bush pilot experience rules.