better engine performance for pilot kerbals (or other incentives)

[passinglurker]

So as things stand pilot class kerbals offer little to no advantage over probes beyond the early game where probe use is impractical for want of power. Probes are cheaper, lighter, and come pre-trained so past the point of unlocking solar panels on the tech tree why would I use a pilot kerbal?

So with this not sitting right with me in much the same way every mod that has played with kerbal skills has given the formerly useless engineer a job I'm wondering if anyone out there knows a mod that that gives you a reason to use a pilot?(besides remote tech I don't want to add comsat micro management to the list of things career makes me grind)