"By your logic we shouldn't call soldiers hero's as it's part of their job"
Exactly. We have diluted the meaning of the word "hero", because both politicians and journalists have both interest to use it too much and out of context - the former to cover their stupid decisions, the latter to sell more.
When your life too is at stake, and you work hard to save it, you're not an hero - it's just survival instinct. IMHO an hero is someone who has a choice, save his or her life, or risk it to save others as well.
This pilot made everything right and sustained very harsh conditions, chapeau - but it had a big incentive because he would have died too, he didn't have an ejection seat to save him and let others die. A pilot who avoids to eject to avoid a damaged plane hitting houses full of people is an hero.