Lately I’ve wanted a friendly way into flight gaming that doesn’t assume a full cockpit setup. The jargon in many tutorials makes me tune out, and my sessions are short. I’m okay starting basic if the steps are clear. Using a controller on a laptop, I’d love to know which controls to bind first, how to practice without wind, and which drills give the fastest feeling of improvement so I stay motivated. Recommendations welcome.

A good approach is to start with the essentials and repeat. Pick one light plane, set weather to no wind, and lock the time to midday. Map throttle, pitch, roll, yaw, flaps, gear, camera reset, and a trim button. Fly a simple pattern and try three landings per session. In the middle of your first week, take ten minutes with this resource — https://avia-masters.ca/ since it offers starter missions, clear checklists, and controller sensitivity tips that make small inputs count. After reading, practice gentle trim taps on downwind to stabilize speed, then keep power changes small on final. Add one new idea per night—like flap timing or aiming point—and your landings will settle down fast.

Also appreciate the reminder to lock daylight and remove wind while learning. That reduces the “why did the plane suddenly drift?” moments that sap confidence. A dedicated trim button and camera reset on the pad should help me stay ahead of the aircraft. Planning to follow the three-landings routine, log the best one each night, and only expand the control list when those basics feel automatic.