The general feel of flight, I agree that it is pretty simular to AH. It's just the teensey bits of subtle differences that are just a bit more detailed than AH, that people come to enjoy when flying in FB. I dunno how exactly to describe it with words.... the feeling of 'momentum'... how the pilot's body and head moves with differing G loads... the slight buffeting in hard maneuvers.. the small contrails at the wingtips during hard maneuvers.. the slightly harder process dealing minor inputs etc etc..
The difficulties in landings and takeoffs, however, are a bit more pronounced, and it gives the pilot a good immersive feeling. Landing the twitchy Bf109s really take more concentration, while planes with wide landing gears like the P-47 or the Fw190, feel really different. The characteristic differences of planes, are better portrayed, and it is an enjoyable experience to feel each planes are different from other - whereas landing and takeoffs in AH feels really generic, with the possible exception of the F4Us in AH.
In gunnery, landing hits at distances between 350~500 are also possible, but the frequency is a lot lower than in AH, up to the point of not being practicll at all ... It is unlikely you will deal fatal damage with the 'long shots'(whereas the 'long' in AH, is defined further out, 600~800yards).
In AH, if you are caught by something like Hurri2C behind you at 350yards, you are practically dead, because that's the 'normal firing range' where you can expect to down planes. In FB, 350 yards is pretty much the limit you can expect to kill something.
The differences in flying also have a lot to do with the views - it is like said, a bit too restrictive. But having no direct 6 views, and being forced to check left side and right side individually is a nice touch, and it really brings out some interesting situations.
I don't think the two games are wildly different. But the subtleness of depicting the 'small stuff', generally ignored for gameplay purposes in AH, is in FB really immersive and impressive.. and the eye candy factor adds more convincing. Last time I was hit and got a fuel leak, I was forced to an emergency landing. As I landed and checked my plane, I saw the long white streak of fuel fade away, and the fuel gushed out from the side of my fuselage where it was hit... wow!
