I was wondering what the formula was for determining the amount of xp you get for flying in space. Is it based on the distance you fly or the time ? Does the amount of xp awared go up or down depending on the skill level of the pilot?
It is solely dependent on distance, so your skill or ship speed won't have any direct effect on it. However, skill and ship speed allow you to cross the same distance in a shorter period of time, so you'll get the same amount of XP faster than someone needing more time to cross that distance.
Diagonals are calculated as straight lines, so traveling a full vertical line across the galaxy will gain you 1000 XP, as will traveling a full diagonal.