HO's will always be a topic of disgruntled interest. IMHO the only thing truly annoying about HO's is the constant drone about "how easy they are to avoid", which is pure BS. HO's are a 50/50 deal to begin with and attempting to avoid does nothing more than slightly increase your chance of survival, chances increase with distance but in the end, a guy who is determined to HO you and is good at it WILL land rounds on you.
The problem with HO's in AH. Well, there's a time and a place for the HO, but I'm usually doing it "back" or when I've run out of options. Perfectly acceptable and easily recognizable. HO's that I consider unworthy of any respect are 1. Those who develop it as a primary tactice. 2. Dweebs who can't manage any other move. 3. Those who take the HO "because they can". It may be considered insulting....who cares, I'll call'em HOwomen every time and thats that. There is nothing worse than "thinking" you are about to merge and have a kickass knifefight only to have the DICKHEAD yank a HO with no need for it whatsoever...THOSE are the lamers and they deserve to live with it.
This is not WW2, we are not fighting for our lives, home or apple pie. Allowing the HO (unlike AW) actually benefits the game more than it detracts (the AirWarrior HO manuever that became the ONLY manuever). Unfortunately, there will always be nerds who don't care about gameing, fun, excitment, SKILL etc etc....just the chance to make little yellow things fly at another airpane, that is all that matters.
Tumor