I wish I’d known that flying in multiplayer was far easier than flying alone. Trying to babysit AI, or even keeping formation when you can’t ask “lead, say airspeed” or “where the hell did you go?” is so much harder than speaking to someone.
Not to mention that Falcon Lounge makes it so easy to get into MP without committing to a squadron (thanks, Max!) and the community especially on Discord is quite welcoming and understanding.
Also, while I like reading the manuals, I understand they can be daunting. But you don’t need to know everything - go through the Tutorial manual and fly along with the missions in-game. You don’t need to RTFM back-to-back to get in the air - but it’s an incredible reference for debriefing after a sortie and trying to understand what went wrong or how to do better next time.