The Macross 7 pilots were the worst cannon fodders ever, they couldn't even get a decent shot away before getting blown up, at least in the old SDFM we see them take out a pod and then bite the dust.
They even got to face a Zentradi fleet against old Q-Rau's in superior VF-11 that's supposed to be miles ahead of the old VF-1's and yet they could not even put up a fight, even Milia on her old VF-1 got to kick ass
Their elite pilot, Gamlin and Docker, weren't that very good, only cool character was Kynriu; Diamond force got destroyed twice and even Emerald foce in the mightly VF-19 got destroyed also, so in conclusion, Basara wasn't that good a pilot, it was just that the pilots around him were soooooo bad that he looked good, besides, he just had to dodge fire...