Novice Flight AI for player is worthless, Opfor not so much.

[makobyte]

My first Quick Battle, 4 F4 Phantoms vs 4 F4 Phantoms.
My pilots just flew around in circles even though I tried to command them (F1) to attack them, in the end my flight was destroyed without even firing a shot.
I tried again this time with 4 F4 Phantoms vs 4 Mig-23s the result was basically the same though my flight lasted longer. Never fired a AIM-7 and only returned fire with a AIM-9; the opfor killed 2 of my flight with AA-7's and then killed the last two with guns. My flight spent 90% of the battle running away.
How do I take positive control over my air assets?
This is a AAR I hope never to repeat.

Update, I decided to try something different. I changed the level of my flight crew to ace; the results were 180 degrees; my flight engaged the enemy and scored 4 kills without a loss. I can only presume that means that my novices are inferior to the AI novices.

[Gunner98]

It probably means that the AI novices are using the ideal setup, speed, EMCON, formation etc to gain the initial advantage on you. Once they have that and your guys go defensive it is difficult to recover. The AI novice levels themselves are the same I believe.

The learning aspect of this game comes in as you play around with all those variables to gain advantage and put the AI on defensive. Skilled pilots are a major advantage, but so is positioning, timing, EMCON etc.

[makobyte]

Another issue I noticed is that many AI pilots seem to forget they are in a 3d environment. I watched F4's chase F4's in a circle until they both ran out of fuel. I would loved to have been able to command my F4 flight to perform a Split-S to cut off the Opfor; that simple 3D maneuver would have given my flight victory.
This issue did not just affect 'novices' but also Ace's; I have observed no indications of 3d flight, the planes appear to be performing flat turns.
Does anyone know how to force a Split-S, Immalman or barrel rolls?