Overall pilot level should be accounted for in matchmaking... To an extent...
As it currently stands, overall pilot level is NOT taken into consideration at all when it comes to matchmaking. People often get upset at me when I tell them that. I have to remind people that I am not a game dev, I didn't create the matchmaker, and I don't completely agree with it. But I do, sort of understand the logic behind it.
Currently, aircraft level and trophy count are the main two considerations when it comes to matchmaking. And it does make sense to do it that way, to a point. Every aircraft is different, and every time YOU as a player unlock a new aircraft, it's like going back to the drawing board. You have to start all over. You have to LEARN how the the new aircraft works. The basics are the same, but everything else is completely different: the handling, the agility, the armament, the abilities, etc.
This is why you're given bots at first when you unlock a new aircraft. It's giving you a chance to figure out the new plane. The logic seems to lead to this: every time you unlock a new plane, it's almost as if you're a brand new player again, because everything is different aside from the basics. Obviously, that logic is not completely sound. But it sort of follows, a little bit.
The truth of the matter is, that the more experienced you are as a player, the easier it is to pick up a new aircraft and master it. The bottom line here is that EXPERIENCE DOES MATTER. SO I believe that overall level should be taken into consideration when it comes to the matchmaker, TO AN EXTENT. it matters A LOT at first, and as you go up, it starts to matter less. What I mean by this, is that when you compare skill levels between an overall pilot level 50 and 100, the skill level is much further apart than if you compared a level 200 and a level 250. I picture an inverse graph function. The curve shoots up at first, and then starts to level off as the pilot level increases.
Tl:Dr - I believe that brand new players should be kept out of experienced players' lobbies. Me, as someone who has been playing over two years with an overall pilot level of 204, I feel incredibly dirty when I get matched against any player BELOW overall pilot level 100. I also get quite irritated if that same player shows up on my side. I'm just saying, let's keep brand new players away from super experienced players. Nothing drastic. I'm not asking for a hard rule that we make all players' overall pilot levels be matched within 10 levels of each other. Just keep brand new players away from super experienced players.
I know this has been a point of contention for a lot of you. I know that this will probably get heavily downvoted. But please know that I am trying my best to help. But in order to do that, we need to take EVERYTHING into consideration. I personally don't believe that, as someone who has been playing over two years, I should be anywhere near a player who has been playing only a few weeks or months. It's just not fair. Feel free to debate me in the comments. I do NOT remove posts or sanction anybody for simply disagreeing with me. You have to start throwing personal insults around, throwing slurs around, or generally just be a disrespectful jerk in order to break the rules here. I would genuinely like to know what you think about this.