Dumb woman with her stupid video camera drives out to the crash site that was previously crawling with Zs. In the middle of the night, in the rain, without telling anyone. To get her "story". Get's got. Insert surprisedpikachu.jpg Moron.
Now, they may have explained this during last season or during this episode but when did the photojournalist learn how to fly a military aircraft? Seriously, was it mentioned at some time and I just don't remember? Perhaps a nod to that actress starring in another downed aircraft show (Lost)?
Also, I knew it was going to be more of the same for this season when they started off with the overused rifle-jams-when-you-most-need-it trope. It would have been more dramatic and less insulting just to have him run out of ammo.
Lastly, in a world where most of the population has been eradicated leaving vast open areas in which to build a settlement they decided that risking their lives to take back something that isn't theirs is the way to go. I get that they put a lot of work into it but going with that plan just leads to more survivor deaths that could have been prevented but this show has been all about the survivors (Clarks) destroying everything.
From the brief interaction we saw between them and Strand on the other end of the radio "you should have been flying it" or something. I gather they're implying Strand gave her a crash course (heh) on how to pilot it just in case he couldn't be with them. That is the only explanation I think.