Skills in Wings Remastered work a little bit different to the original games. The main point is that you get one go at assigning points. This is when you create a new pilot.
From then on, your skill levels increase depending on your game play.

Allocating Skill Points:
You get 40 points to allocate when you create a new pilot. You can remove points already allocated from skill levels if you want to add more into another section.
N.B: You can only do this once. Once points are set, you cannot go back and alter your choice.

Upgrading Skill Levels
Skills upgrade as you use them in game. So as you shoot more targets your shooting will increase. Likewise as you take more damage, your stamina will increase.

Checking you Skill Levels
You can always return to the Flying School page to see the available pilots between missions, when you see the squadron roster. Just select Back to go back to the main menu and then pick Flight School.
From the Flight School menu you can pick View Pilot and then your chosen pilot to see the current skill levels.

The flying skill determines how fast your plane can turn \ climb and respond to your controls.
A higher skill level in this will allow you to climb high early in a patrol mission to get a crucial edge in combat.

Skill Levels: in rank order lowest (1) to highest (8)

1. Sitting Duck
   
2. Clay Pigeon I
   
3. Clay Pigeon II
   
4. Sky Falcon I
   
5. Sky Falcon II
   
6. War Eagle I
   
7. War Eagle II
   
8. Flying Knight

The shooting skill determines how accurate and powerful your guns are. With the lowest level your machine gun will resemble a shotgun in your cross-hairs. Higher levels tighten the fire grouping allowing you to pick off targets at a greater distance.

Skill Levels: in rank order lowest (1) to highest (8)

1. Peashooter
   
2. Marksman I
   
3. Marksman II
   
4. Sharpshooter I
   
5. Sharpshooter II
   
6. Expert I
   
7. Expert II
   
8. Sniper

The mech skill determines how long you can fire your guns for without them overheating and jamming. As you fire your guns they gradually heat up. You'll see them start to glow red. If you don't stop firing then they will jam. Only letting them cool down and retrying the fire button will un-jam them.

Skill Levels: in rank order lowest (1) to highest (8)

1. Butterfingers
   
2. Apprentice I
   
3. Apprentice II
   
4. Grease Monkey I
   
5. Grease Monkey II
   
6. Craftsman I
   
7. Craftsman II
   
8. Artisan

The stamina skill determines how much damage your plane can take. The higher the skill the longer you can sustain gun fire. This skill level carries over to both Strafing and Bombing missions as well as normal patrols.
Ironically, taking damage helps increase the skill.

Skill Levels: in rank order lowest (1) to highest (8)

1. Doormat
   
2. Lead Belly I
   
3. Lead Belly II
   
4. Granite Gut I
   
5. granite Gut II
   
6. Iron Shield I
   
7. Iron Shield II
   
8. Steel Fortress