Hello, Sledgehammer Bomber pilot here. I had to chime in and say that the team really matters also. I'm an OG BC Pilot, represent! But I've flown all servers for the past few months before the merge. I noticed outside of BC, (which rarely popped anymore) Every match was a losing battle, no matter what I flew. Almost all my ships are mastered. I am mainly a Sledgehammer pilot. But I noticed that it's still mostly about teamwork.
A voice chat app helps with communication. Starting a match letting others know where you're going, (ex. "Bomber, heals/ammo to B.) helps out too.
Of course, then you have the personal experience. BC GSF battles were extremely tactical. They still are.
But you now have those pilots in the mix. Make sure your loadout is what you want to use, and for Abeloth's sake stay out of range of those gunships. 1500m. Unless you are clear and ready to close in for the kill.
You'll get it. Check out classes and communicate loadouts with friends. Find out what works best, and what works best for you. It's fun to fly, even if you lose knowing you tried your best.