Update: I can fly I can flyyyy! I can now pretty much blow 'copters out of the sky, and getting good at flying attack helicopter as well (5 kills in one game via Attack helicopter, new personal record).
Both jets and helos have a steep learning curve by all accounts, and currently I don't think there's much that jets contribute to the game overall. Then again I should have the rockets unlocked soon, which will mean in between dogfights I can bomb tanks instead of tickling them with the machine gun.
One observation is that no matter how good you are, air seems an absolute crap choice if you care about points, ranking up or bragging rights; my K-D and PPM have nosedived since changing to air and are showing no sign of improving even with improved flying skills and some unlocks.
I think the main issue with jets is they lack firepower and the risk vs. reward is totally off balance, i.e. there's 2 billion AA countermeasures out there, in air and on ground, and you spend most of your time playing evasively - so the brief time you get to make an offense should make an impact on the game, or the risks to air should be reduced.
Attack helicopters seem more or less perfect though, vulnerable but deadly, and need very good piloting skills to last any length of time.
I haven't tried scout helo yet, because tbh it's freaking impossible to get one. I haven't even been in one. I guess they are FOTM or something, especially when I've seen how they can take tanks down with apparent ease (ironically more easilly than attack helo or jet.. seriously that's fucked up right there!)
