I agree. However, it might not be a bad idea to have a separate "AI arena" that has constant AI missions running in a two-sided war. There would always be things to shoot at and would be a way for newer players to gain some confidence before throwing themselves to the wolves in the MA. There would be no score kept, to insure eventual migration to the MA.
From what I understand the AvA staff is trying to make this happen in the AvA. However they still have to work out a few things before that happens.
#1 Why is it ok to wire guide AI bombers but not ok to wire guide players?
#2 This is a game designed to provide flying activities, don't you think it odd that you couldn't participate in one of the most iconic activities of WW2?
#3 
You think that a player who takes a formation up can leave his AI behind to hit the target on their own?
#4 Each gun has limited range, each bomber is separated by a certain distance. Not every gun in the formation will be in range at the same time.
In any case, that was the whole reason why these bombers were flown in large formations... they weren't intended to be tiny 3 plane groups of sitting ducks.
#1 AI are NPC drones that are made for the entertainment, assistance or challenge to the player. They can be that NPC you must persuade to befriend a king or someone to bribe to go back to incognito. In this case, the AI bombers would be used as a small re-occuring event that would start a battle over somewhere worthwhile. If you have the AI bombers launch a mission that would go to the enemy HQ or a specific enemy strat. Then the players could choose (but wouldn't have to) defend the bombers via gunnery or escort or up bombers of their own. Those who like to defend the strats would have a new AI mission every 3-6 hours that would attack their strats. Those who want the big bomber missions but can't get enough players for them, would be able to join and also bomb the target.
#2 The main arena is simply tools of the WWII era provided in a combat scenario. You can fly peacefully and show off your fly-through-the-hangar skills, or you can duke it out 6 v 1. If you want realistic events of WWII then go to the AvA/ Scenario arenas for 100% realistic WWII-like combat.
#3 No. I said a majority of the response to this answer in #1, but will repeat myself. The AI would launch independently of the players, not relying on the players whatsoever to do any launching. The players could then choose whether or not to join the mission. They aren't forced to join, nor do they have to guide the AI drones there.
Now, as for the players bomber AI drones, they would act as they do now. I think you confused the HTC AI with the Player-Bomber drones/AI. I am not saying that I want the player to be able to spawn AI drones and send them off without any work on the players part. I am saying I want an independent system operated non-player-combatant (NPC) formation of bombers to launch every 3-6 hours that would announce over all channels (so all sides can see) showing that a medium AI formation is going. Then I want it to promptly announce the destination of the mentioned formation, so the enemy knows where to defend. Causing a guarenteed fight, so you have at least two sets of players who are going to attack and defend something. Pretty much stirring the pot to get a fight, preferably over a worthwhile target (HQ/Strats rather than a town/base).
#4 I wanted to either have 2 formations of 4 side by side (about 1000 yards from edge wing tip). Or 1 formation of 8 in the 'diamond' formation. About 600 yards apart per position. Not close enough so you could jump from tip to tip, just 600-800 yards away from tip to tip per position.
This would just make it so that we would have stuff attacking worthwhile targets. If players wanted to join, they could for an almost guarenteed fight, assuming that the enemy wants to defend. In the case that the enemy doesn't defend, only about 1/5th of their factories would be destroyed. That way, it isn't 100% required for you to 'drop what you're doing' and defend something. Making it so the AI formation does some damage, but nothing that would cripple one side, just small-medium damage if every bomber made it to target.
Then the AI return home and land, and it gives a system message like "Bishop formation (insert squadron here) has landed # of # landed - damage done. Then another mission wouldn't happen for 3-6 hours. If all the bombers die, then a system message says "Bishop formation (insert squadron here) has been shot down # of # destroyed.
I hope I explained it in a way that made sense. If I did not please elaborate.
