Nah, I've been gone quite some time but I come in once in a blue moon and things remain the same... I'd say the attitudes of some of your old regulars are what will always keep the AvA down. No one likes to get whooped up on but it looks like now it is the same as when I played in that no one ever asked me to fly with them they just threw insults both here and in game.
some of us don't mind getting whooped on. we're used to it.
sometimes i still toss insults around here, but i try like anything not to do so in the game anymore. it's just a game, and not worth getting pissed off at anything in there.
i fly, i have fun, i die, and i do it all over again.
you'll find some people in there that just love to fight...in planes i mean. lots of good folks in there. jaeger1 and crew are kicking bellybutton trying to make this a cool place to fight.
EDIT
almost forgot.......i'd fly with ya. i wouldn't be much more than bait though.........