While she may not have gone on the away mission to Rigel 7, Lieutenant Eric Ortegas proved essential because she flew the ship. While Melissa Navia's character is not the first to operate the helm of the USS Enterprise, Erica Ortegas is Star Trek's first true "hotshot pilot." And she's got the skills to prove it, not even counting the Ortegas Gamma Three maneuver.
Source:https://www.cbr.com/erica-ortegas-strange-new-worlds-hotshot-pilot/