Turn down the ack, auto,puffy, and manned. 
Watch for PROOF http://www.mediafire.com/?yakysbpd6sj016d
One of the things that caught me by surprise back when I first started talking to WW2 fighter pilots and researching beyond just reading books, was how many of them went down to flak. Because the AH airwar is fought at lower alts, flak will always be a factor. I remember one of the first Spit XII drivers I corresponded with talking about flak. He'd been sent to Typhoons in the Fall of 1944 as the Tiffie squadrons had lost so many pilots to flak. He talked about seeing buddies vaporized near him by Flak. Of the guys lost in 41 squadron 43-45, some KIA and some POW, I'd estimate it was probably 5-1 flak vs fighter if not more.
Earl Miller, who flew P39s and Jugs in the MTO flew Airwarrior with us and I was lucky enough to meet him. He came to an AW con where Bud Anderson spoke. At a round table discussion Bud mentioned that in all his combat hours, he'd only been hit once. Bud was flying high alt escort.
Earl, who was flying ground attack, laughed and said that if they didn't get hit, they figured they were doing something wrong. Earl was flying down low.
If you get a chance some time, vist Normandy and the cemeteries from the beaches to Falaise. Full of fighter pilots flying ground attack. It really surprised me how many there were.
I think what it comes down to, is how AH is flown as more of a low alt Tac airwar makes flak more of a factor. If the AH airwar was fought up high, it wouldn't impact on things so much.
I sure don't see that it's 'unrealistic' or a problem that needs to be changed. Just consider where you are fighting. If you are in the ack, it's probably going to be a problem.
