I find the Assault a very fun class to play, with Shoryukening people with a charge or using it to get away along with shooting players to death and grenade launchering anything that acts predictible enough... but I can't get how to use his jetpack, outside of quickly saving yourself from a ring out. I think the jetpack on the Gunner and Tank is better, actually, since I recall it can gain a bit of altitude to jump onto stuff faster. I feel like just running over to the opposition works pretty well enough for the Assault, rather than being a slow flying target over to them. But, rather than just writing it off, entirely I'd like to first ask - have you found other uses for it?
My jetpack is the best tool in my Assaults arsenal, first off, you can use it to get across the map very fast if you dont mind using a dash along the way, but what i find most useful is playing on the maps edges, i get the enemy to chase me, then jeckpack around the outside of the stadium to get behind them where they're easy pickings! It's great because noone sees it coming, they turn a corner expecting you to be there only to get killed from behind. also, you might find a few jump pads that take you quite high where you can turn on your jets, i use these to position myself above the enemy then drop down ready for a quick surprise grapple. Oh and ofcourse if theres an assasin around i can use it to avoid a grapple!
On Steel Peel, right off the bat, you can use your jetpack + dash to get to the upper level to the left, rather than unlocking the jump pad.
I've only played a couple of times with Assault (I prefer other classes), but I've managed to annoy - and kill - some Assassins by quickly pressing 'Y' when I saw them coming. You don't even have to jump in order to be able to activate the F.L.Y. ability (jumping makes it harder for yourself to shoot accurately if your aim isn't that good). Even if you hover at only 1mm height, you can't be grappled. In that regard, it's a powerful defensive ability.
I like hovering at ground level so Assassins can't grab me. Then I cancel it and charge. I don't upgrade it unless all my other skills are full and we have plenty of turrets.
I think the Hover as a skill is fine since all classes generally have a "last" skill...Tankeploy, Gunner:Melee, Support:Hack, Sniper:Flak, Assassinassive, and Assault:Flight...Now with that said Flight is pretty useful for the Assualt, it helps him get around and it deals with Assassin, and Sniper Traps. I did think it was going to be more tactical where it doesn't just get longer it might have a extra boast, or maybe certain things can only be reached at level 3. Either way it is fine, if there are a lot Snipers and Assassin getting a early level 2 isn't a bad idea.
throw your bomb at the ground, stand over it, jump, detonate, hover to good spot, rain down noobtoobs, while everyone is like, where the fuckkk? also. if you want to be a jerk. you can set people on fire by hovering over them.. good times.
At first, I thought it was useless. Against Assassins it's good because you can't get grappled, and against Sniper's it's great because your strafing speed differs (press Y no Jump) and makes you less predictable, and for getting up and over glass walls for grenade launcher is greater. Obviously it's great for getting into tough places without using obvious jump pads, and also for getting back in bounds when you get a chance.