Sorry to be so harsh... but that's utter nonsense.
In the so praised real real life, I have no problem identifying a plane at 2K or determining it's heading
In AH with no icons, it's just a few pixels. Compare the resolution of the human eye to the crappy resolution an ordinary 19" screen provides.
And lacking stereoscopic view (which may be even the biggest drawback), I can't neither judge distance nor closure rate even remotely close to my RL capability, which isn't stellar in the first place. Lacking better resolution and 3D display, I'm reduced to a one-eyed extremely nearsighted pilot.
Actually icons make fighting more realistic in some way, giving us a workaround and providing us information that would be obvious in RL.
Anyone looking for the ultra but nonrealistic challenge in the MA can do it if he wishes. But as an MA arena setting, it's garbage.
I agree, I have plenty of hours logged in a 172 and a 183, and in RL, I'm able to spot a plane (unless it's in a REALLY bad spot, in which case it's usually "Report trafic in sight" at unbelivable levels in my Headset
) but in AHII, the resolution, screen refresh rate (usually set at 60 Hz if I'm not mistaken), PLUS, except in AvA arena, it's a mix of allies planes and axis planes, so, even if you DID spot a plane, you have no way of determining if it's friendly or not. So, imo, crazily stupid idea.
So maybe, we should have fighting styles set per-plane as it was used in RL? HO in a zero/KI etc...