Obvious pro:
I started right before the novice shield was introduced and I got shot down with like 2-3 hits repeatedly, sometimes a single freak shot depending on location. It got pretty disheartening. Yeah, I toughed it out as many of my generation do (I grew up playing far more basic games) but I suspect many wouldn't. So yes the novice shield is good. For keeping these players.
Here's the cons; and I suggest you get a drink because as brief as I'm gonna be, they're pretty extensive.
One: the level is set too high. By level five of this game you should be a competent pilot. Many aren't. Here's why...
Two: here is the procedure - get airborne. Take as many direct hits as possible before crashing into the other player. Get in tank. Attempt to get to enemy base/target, hide in woods, spawn kill and/or finish great dogfight in about two minutes. Tactical? Not every single game. In every game, that's a reliance, and it's with heavy heart that I report I know where some of em are learning it. From 47-50's who can't stand the heat.
Three: there are times lately when certain games are drawn in skill where a "new player" with "mysterious lag" will come in and tilt the odds heavily in one side's favour. I'm not gonna mention names here but it wasn't so much of a problem before teleportation AND a beginner shield made them almost invulnerable. I mean we could say that these were genuinely new players but there's an odd coincidence where these guys suddenly log our right before the enemy team lose or their side have a massive advantage. You think they'd stick around after lag teleporting their way past a defensive line of high level fighter planes in a ww1 crate and singlehandedly winning the game for their side but nope, they always leave.
No names. Remember that.
All in all yes it helps but it's my opinion - as someone who began right before it - that this element needs dialed back to a lower threshold not only to improve the skills of the player base but to eliminate the shenanigans that seem to have been endemic since it was introduced. It's enough to do for Joaquim to run the place, don't take liberties because you can't cope or think you're comedians. And hey; it's dogfight elite. Not world of tanks. If you can't fly, we won't win, so roll along.