If you were alone on the planet, what would you do?

[A. Secular Human]

When you've got nothing but time, you can start with the basics.  I didn't say it would be quick.  I would probably train for a couple years from the ground up.  It would be totally worth it. 

I have sort of a head start, with an engineering degree and knowledge of the fundamentals of flight from slope-soaring RC sailplanes...

I probably wouldn't drink beer and smoke dope before climbing into the cockpit of an F-35, though.  

RC experience is good translated to real life - more so than the reverse - but it still isn't the same animal.

I have been flying RC for almost 40 years. Fixed and rotary. I flew helicopters before gyros.

My dad soloed in 1949 and has multiple thousand hours in recip and multi engine jets....

And he STILL can't land an RC trainer.....

I can sure understand that.  One of the hardest things for me to learn was to "fly ahead of the aircraft".  I imagine there's a similar concept in planes you climb into...