There are a number of things being considered facts in this thread that just aren't true.
Combat is not the activity that carries the most risk in this game - that crown belongs to long voyage Exploration. At no time in Combat or Trade are you risking days/weeks/months of time and progress every single time you log in. Unless, of course, you are the imbecile that only turns in vouchers every few months, or the other imbecile that flies a ship with a rebuy in the tens of millions on an income of 2 million credits per session. Even then, a death in Combat or Trade costs you minutes, but a death in Exploration can cost you weeks, months, or even years. It's not even close, man.
The Outfitting cost for taking part in any of the three pillars at a meaningful level is similar enough that it's not worth griping about. The gap widens as you get towards the higher end of whichever pillar you are pursuing, which is as it should be. Unless you are suggesting that the cost to Outfit a flying gas can for maximum Exploration and an Ultimate Death Machine for Combat should be the same? I hope you aren't suggesting that.
Combat does pay well if you are good at it. This includes knowing what ship(s) to use, what to do, and where/how to do it, just like the other two pillars. You seem to lack this knowledge despite playing the game for as long as you claim, and I would submit that perhaps this is coloring your perception.
I'm not sure that I've ever met a Commander who likes every single facet of this game. As such, I would say that every single Commander has to do things they don't really want to do, and jump through some hoops to achieve whatever goals they have set for themselves. Combat pilots are not unique in this regard. That said, Combat pilots do indeed get the shaft when it comes to Engineering as a whole, especially in terms of needed materials.
Riôt
I see what you mean. Long Exploration does sound like you lose more when exploring, I'm not going to argue that but I never said that Combat was the Highest risk activity either. I said "High-Risk". But Long exploration and short exploration are two different beasts.
Also Combat isn't just a "few minutes" of lost progress. Combat pilots don't sit in HAZ REZ for a few minutes, neither do ones in CZ's. I'd say the closes is Assassination Missions but with that being said, Assassin's get paid dirt compared to the other missions and activites and have to rely on RNG to give them the missions on top of that.
I disagree that outfitting, across all activites, is on the same level because combat focused internals and weapons in the game are the most expensive. This I know is true.
When I say "outfitting costs are high for combat" I'm speaking in the most general terms of the items in the game, not the "popular build", as Frontier put high costing items like Mirrored Surface Armor because they expect players to buy them (and armor can be more expensive then the ship they're for).
Combat doesn't pay well compared to the other, lower risk activites. I know this because all of the "Gold Rushes" have been passenger and trade focused. Then for explorations, we have the "road to riches" and the new modes for exploration only make it easier to grab money quick.
When I say "jump through hoops" don't mean in it the general terms, I mean it as
"Find system in war."
"Raise your rep with them (which can take a good while depending on RNG)
"Do the Combat focused missions"
Combat players shouldn't force themselves to a loop in order to make decent pay compared to the other activites, they should make good pay in general when compared. You see what I'm saying?
But then on the other hand, Once outfitted properly: Trade missions pay more for less effort and surface scan missions pay the same amount as an assassination missions for less effort. that's my issue.
If you're an explorer, you're doing what you want.
If you're trading, you're doing what you want.
If you're a Passenger Liner, you're doing what you want.
But with combat, you're "jumping through hoops" like the mission boards, other systems and minor factions to make "decent pay" that doesn't compare to the others, even if done properly. and don't get me started on piracy, PVP or Thargoid Hunting.
. Not to mention not waking the entire compound with gunfire. NO, I don't use silver tweezers, I use copper. It doesn't mark the surrounding metal and devalue the watch 
