BA should definitely give me a job flying trans-Atlantic, or maybe even as an airshow display pilot. 
edit: I wonder how long till the giant midway troll is exposed? There is no way a real player would kiss this much backside
Neither makes sense. Real air transport pilots are much safer pilots and air shows are also about being safe. WWII pilots in the real world obviously dealt with variables and risks AH can not model. However, where else can you get into a WWIi fighter or bomber and fight others with top notch ACM skills, accurate shooting skills, and all the while needing to maintain SA. AH is as close as we'll ever get which is still a long way from what it was really like.
While AH certainly is a game, it's also a very good WWII air combat sim, maybe the best, and the skills needed to be an awesome fighter pilot in this "game" are very challenging. Chess and pacman are pure games. AH simulated air combat involves many of the real world skills and tactics to be a top pilot and thousands of hours of practice. I know it isn't real, far from it, but it sure is fun and challenging to become good in it.
If it were easy, anyone could do it. But it isn't, instead it's very hard to be among the best and anyone that is among the best in this "game" of skill has invested a lot of effort, overcome great odds, and learned something most of us are still trying to comprehend.
None of that is "kissing" anything, it's just admiring the skills of those that are the best among us AH simulated air combat pilots. It is what it is and nothing more or less.
