I can understand flying with the attitude of our cartoon life meaning something. I think we all do to some extent, but there is a fine line there. Value the life too much and your always looking for better odds before engaging in a fight, value it too little and your running around with your hair on fire to get more kills before you die to keep your k/d above boards.
I fly for the fight. If while working on 2 bad guys a third and forth show up, I have no trouble diving into the ack, or extending to drag out the fight to get the numbers better. What I do have trouble with is those that will dive out because they know your about to "remove large chunks from their planes", but turn back after you have turned your attention to his two buddies who have stayed in the fight.
This game is suppose to be about fighting, not running away from one, not hiding from one, not avoiding one by use of over whelming numbers, nor throwing your cartoon life away with arcade type flying, but just plain old fighting.