Are we talking of AI in the campaign or what?
I haven't flown any of the packaged missions yet, and have only flown against the AI in the FMB.
I don't have a problem shooting them down, and they don't outrun me. (This is at the 'average' AI setting.)
I do wish that they were a little more accurate though.
Maybe on the higher skill levels they are; so far I haven't gone there.