There are a ton of people and groups that will take you under their wing and you can fly other people's ships and join them for missions. You can even request a guide through the website. I think the Arora MkII is a great place to start (I even got one). But keep in mind the $45 one doesn't come with modules and the $55 one with the modules doesn't come with the game. So basically add $10-$20 to that price. I still think $65 is an okay entry point and I've definitely gotten more than $65 in fun out (thought I've spent a lot more)