JMBAD, in a way, you are correct.
No matter how much we try to kid ourselves, a game is a game and never "fully realistic". So it is not surprising that some people are led to the conclusion that easing off/rounding out/simplifying/neutering/(whatever the choice of one's word) is not unnatural to expect. Also, as suggested in some other posts, it may actually increase the player base, or widen the range of the variety of players enjoying AH.
However, when AH abandons a part of its goal, or yields to a certain need outside of absolute necessity, and arbitrarily touches the general environment of the simulation itself, then AH ceases to be AH.
The historicity is what attracts people so devotedly and passionately to simulation games(I define AH as a part of the simulation genre)- getting a chance to live the fantasy means a lot to people. Just as people read novels and history books, they get to experience a part of history - in a much more aggressive manner. Instead of reading books abouth Messerschmitts and Spitfires, they choose to fly one themselves, feeling joy and fun as they experience the difficulties of the pilots, the different characteristics of the planes, and the adrenaline-rush of dogfighting.
As the rule of experiencing goes, "the more real, the better". People know that there are limits within a game, but what is possible in the boundaries of the game itself, they seek to enjoy it to the full.
The great compromise comes with having to deal with some parts of reality within a game. For instance, something like flight time is an issue that must be addressed and yielded before the logic of gameplay. However, the rest of it, the part which makes up combat itself, people do not want to see it smudged.
Ofcourse, when we say 'people' it does not mean everyone. People who do not want full realism, are different breed of gamers from those who come to enjoy AH. It is not as if there is class-distinction or something, between the different types of gamers. However the fact that they are enjoying the same game does not mean that they are the same breed of people. That, cannot be denied.
Difficulty issues, as you suggest, are a trifle matter in reality. In truth, they mean nothing to an avid simulation gamer. Even if one starts out from 'easy mode' or 'relaxed realism' due to difficulty issues, if the gamer himself is interested in what simulation games can offer, sooner or later they move on to 'full realism', or whatever that certain game can offer.
People who aren't interested in it, stay at the 'relaxed realism' level and do not move. Their definition of 'aircombat fun' is different from what most of us come to love in AH. In that case, AH is clearly not what they want. Nor is there any obligation for us to tend to their needs, seeing AH development staff having to split time and resources to provide for people who have problems with the difficulties, and want to enjoy a relaxed game instead of dealing with the learning curve like all of us have.
Why does AH have to do that? There are already 'relaxed realism' arenas, with the same planes, same historic environments, and even better graphics, provided by other games. I can't say I know what Pyro or Hitech has on their mindss, but I have a pretty good guess that as long as it doesn't disturb some major gameplay component, and lies within the boundaries of current AH technology, the creators of AH have absolutely no intention of bending reality to fill the needs of players who cannot handle such realities.
Like said above, if you want relaxed realism, then go somewhere else. People like AH because it is closer to full realism, with good gameplay qualities and impressive on-line numbers. No reason to implement relaxed realism, as the on-line numbers clearly indicate that that much people, are content with how AH currently is.
The price is comparable, graphics are better, the plane choice more various and they have relaxed realism modes, too, in Jaleco's Fighter Ace 3.5.
So, why stay here and rant about it?
Frankly, in a very personal opinion, people wanting Relaxed Realism arenas have no excuses in any way to justify its implementation in AH.
