In Splinter she has a thorough understanding of her ship and how to pilot it. No mention of combat flying. In Star Wars77 and Splinter it shows her as someone who is generally collected under pressure*, so seeing her as a fighter pilot isn't really a stretch.

*That said; Probably my favorite part of the novel (Splinter) involves a scene where she has a sort of break down\mental release from having maintained control under duress. It's a very well written passage where she has a sort of primal scream moment.

That hits close to home for me because I know of a woman who also has to maintain that same strict composure under incredible pressure and responsibility. I've been privy to some of those breakdowns when she's safely away from the source. That passage in the novel is an excellent representation of what some people have to endure and how they rise to the challenge.