What a great thread. I've heard of all these techniques, practiced some but to hear others experience with them is encouraging. Too much good advice from too many to acknowledge all of you. Even the conflicting opinions are valuable 'cause it's fit-to-size anyway.
The only thing (mentioned by Zeeman and R.Roach) I can expand upon that was important to me is to visit the Training/Practice areas (main menu), circle and shoot a few rocks (Target Practice level) then move up to Basic Combat. Don't shoot at the guy (yet) and it won't shoot back. You can follow its tail - lots of swooping and turning. Now you can shoot ;-) This is fantastic for learning the techniques one at a time and in combination; mix and match as you see fit. Does not cost you anything to die here. Can concentrate on skill with no stress. And lets face it, its Dangerous off the practice field!
In the Training levels you won't be in the ship you want to be in (I wish) but of course, the skills are transferable. Work your way through some of the other levels and you will be Elite Dangerous ..... as yet, I am only Mildly Annoying.
Get good at each tool/technique in turn. Hopeless if doing too much too soon
Gear up to head tracker, voice commands, stick and throttle controllers; as stated by others, these tools make a _huge_ (night/day) difference. I'm at s&t, ready to set up Voice.
Also get your key-mapping right. Junk the default settings and carefully construct the settings for fluidity, logic and no conflict; eg, if your panel display button is next to your pip control hat ... well, that just goes wrong at the worst times (ask me how I know that ....).
Then go out and kill something ..........
S
