The problem with the PT is the fact that all of the pilots in Ep 2 and Ep 3 are clones. Because there are so many of them, and we only ever get to know one personally (Commander Cody), it's hard to care as much about them. There's a deep dark part of us all that is thinking "There's more where that came from."
The pilot thing would be nice, but the only way I think it would really work is by making the new pilots Jedi. Otherwise, it doesn't make as much sense why they're there.