Pleasse help me get my massive Anaconda into that tiny slot

[DR Smith]

I've been playing ED for about a year and I thought I was a good pilot, at least with small and medium craft - but I recently bought an Anaconda and it's such a beast!!!
I keep getting stuck in the slot.
I've lost two of them by being shot up in a station just trying to leave and it's getting expensive with insurance around 19M a time.
OK Stop laughing now! [mad]. I'm OK flying in to a station but leaving it seems to be a different story. Even with the landing gear up, the ship only just fits through.
Using the external cams help - but I still make a mess of it 80% of the time.
I've left a station around 40 times and experience doesn't seem to be improving my performance. I must be doing something basically wrong.
Please give me some tips (people who post comments like "learn to fly" are not clever).

 

[Soulkiller]

I would suggest that you orient your Anaconda vertically, and make your cockpit almost touch the top of the letterbox as it is the most upper part of an Anaconda.

 

[Tono Kopec]

I find it easiest to only use vertical and horizontal thrusters + rotating to line up (avoiding pitching and yawing) and as mentioned above, cockpit at the top of the slot when exiting.