I find a few recurring themes in this thread that seem to bear no scrutiny, even against widely known and, with respect, rather obvious facts.
The three themes that appear to occur most frequently and yet are most easily disproved are that PvP-ers :
(A) Lack skill but triumph due to unfair numbers advantage, and/or
(B) Lack skill but triumph due to unfair outfitting advantage
and that
(3) PvP involves too much risk of loss.
The first two can be answered in two words, "PvP League".
Under the completely fair conditions of the three PvP Leagues it was proven beyond doubt that the most renowned PvP groups owe their profiles to the skill of their best pilots. In particular, it could not have been clearer that anyone else stood absolutely no chance. Furthermore it was clear that there was a cadence, repeatable and predictable, amongst the outcomes of less renowned groups when pitted against each other.
Season 3 threw matters into the greatest clarity because the format was widened to include much greater numbers than before. Because of the way the play-off sequence worked, we were able to see the mid-grade PvP groups absolutely slaughter the inexperienced groups, only in turn to be slaughtered themselves by the best of the best. The average-level PvP groups typically won to 0 defeats against the newcomers, then lost to 0 victories against the likes of SDC and AA.
Put another way:
Top-tier PvP group = better pilots than average PvP group, whom under fair conditions they will probably defeat without loss
Average PvP group = better pilots than entry-level group, whom under fair conditions they will probably defeat without loss
Entry-level group = still were willing and able to step up to the plate, and should not be underestimated by mere vocal spectators
(For those unaware, Seasons 1 and 2 of the PvP League were fought without Engineering, and Season 3 was fought with only one grade 1 engineered module per ship.)
If that is not clear proof of consistently replicable outcome by skill level, could somebody please tell me what further proof would be required?
Heh. If any further proof is needed, take a look at every single vid ever generated in any unlocked Beta (where anyone can make anything quickly, then go looking for a fight in their god-ship of choice in supercruise). Do we see the PvP big names floundering and dying in the - for once - withering fire of 'fair' conditions? No, we see business, i.e. wreckage, as normal. Do we see a reddit thread - "Hey, everyone, I'm new to PvP, and I just absolutely handed it to [insert big name of choice] in Beta? Such threads are curiously absent, aren't they?
Turning then to "too much risk of loss"...
Most PvP-ers rebuy only every several months and many less than annually. To re-grind creds for a rebuy takes less than 10% of the time to engineer up a decent module.
Risk of what?
I mean, unless someone is actually going out to look for a fight whilst purposefully carrying six months of precious exploration data with them ... what is this risk?