Thanks for clarifying, that's true. I biased the system to make player fight mid air too instead of clinging to the ground to prevent that playstyle pitfall. It kind of worked as intended then, and now I'm being dumb because I started expecting to have it both ways.
I'll experiment with dashing while working on the flamethrower, but I doubt I'd like it as a main mechanic. Momentum acts as a reward for skill and confidence, so it's never expected but rather encouraged (outside of the practice stage).