…wow…there’s TWO Stevies, and this one isn’t ME, so I’ll take no credit! But Quasi_Stellar is absolutely right, and progressing through the TEs is actually the best way to start.
I’ll also add to not lock yourself into just flying them “by the book” and or as scripted. There are a number of things you can do in each of them, on your own recog, for your own learning purposes - like with the Takeoff mission, you can place yourself dash 2, takeoff and fly the course backwards from Lead…in which case you will eventually meet your Lead head-on and use him as a semi-cooperative target (don’t actually shoot him!). Where you meet him will depend on how fast you fly, and it’s better to burn off some fuel in advance of the coming landing. Once you pass each other, you can rejoin and do the section approach to land…which also isn’t strictly in the script. You will be heavy on landing (quite heavy), and get assigned the shorter runway - which a is tough ask, but the landing can be done successfully…once you learn how to do it…and you can also use the ILS, which isn’t strictly in the script either. So be creative with the TEs where you can!
You can also place yourself as dash 2 and then fly formation around the whole route - which is an option that is only partially described, as I recall.
Yes, I have some experience with flight sims, most recently the IL-2 Battles franchise.
The BMS experience is realistic on a different level. For example, I can’t even fire a gun, even though I had my joystick trigger wired for it.
I probably have to flip a safety lock somewhere (haven’t discovered that yet).
It’s not in any way a criticism of BMS, rather a reflection of my inexperience with such level of realism.