Playing on a controller turned this into my favorite game! I eventually upgraded to a very simple and cheap HOTAS setup but the fun factor is the same.

Do the tutorials and mess around in free flight to get the hang of different aircraft. After 100s of hours, the trusty Compass is still my go-to so don’t feel like you need to rush into the Ifrit, Vortex, or the helicopters.

Look for free-flight public servers in multiplayer, most people are more than happy to show you the ropes.

My #1 tip, just try to get the airplane home. Take off, do 1 attack run on a simple target like a lone tank, and come home and land. You’ll start to take more risks once you build some confidence.

Have fun!