I think ENY would be maybe better off if there was a perk cost rather than delisting the plane.
There has to be more ways to spend perks, and this is one way. That way the people still get to fly their plane if they can afford it in the game.
Personally, I think once the maps are better designed to promote action on all 3 sides, the #s will become neutral again.
The problem with the current map that's on today is, the large TT area creates a barrier between the teams. If all the bases merged into the middle, all 3 sides could be apart of the action. I'm not talking about a TT or Furball island, but merging the teams closer together with base layout would make a big difference.