Getting a driver's license in the US is a joke. I know people in both Germany and Sweden and getting a license there is actually pretty similar to the pilot requirements you listed (a few variations to make it more applicable to cars, but still). Also, people take getting their license VERY seriously because it can cost upwards of 1000USD or something like that, and thats if you pass it the first time (something which a VERY SMALL number of people do), so many people end up spending like, 3-5k USD over several years to get their license. They also take driving very seriously because, in both countries, fines are imposed based upon the amount of money you make per year, and they are typically higher (assuming middle class income) than what we pay here. I like that policy. Actually, I like a lot of European ideas, especially the Germans... Just not their toilets. Anyone who has been there knows what I speak of.