PRE-FLIGHT

Before starting a new game, address the controls:

This page on the FPS website describes how to modify the controls.

This page has tips on how to optimize the controls and discusses the Dev Mode console commands.
This Steam thread covers how to optimize translation control.

While these adjustments aren't necessary, they are key to total control over flight, landing, and takeoff.
It's possible to play through the game without making any control changes at all, but it could easily be said that doing so would be stunting a pilot's potential.

Next up is the game jank.
Frontier Pilot Simulator was developed and published by Razar S.R.O., a small team out of the Czech Republic. It saw Early Access in 2018 and a full release in 2021. The English localization is rough, very rough in places. Messages from NPCs can be difficult to understand and even seem nonsensical at times.
What's more, the game world is large and dynamic; as open as an open world can get.

Even in its release version, which seems to be final for now, clipping errors can render some missions inoperable and without end - bugs not unfamiliar to players of other famous open-world RPGs. They won't surface very often, but each playthrough will likely see at least two or three and, fortunately, the developers included a debug tool players can use to correct just about any broken event in the game.

A final point of preparation is acknowledging FPS as a "realistic" flight simulator. There are no arcade aspects to the game and no minigames other than those made of landing safely and without damaging cargo or upsetting passengers. There is also no combat or battle, gameplay is entirely civilian in nature.

Those familiar with other demanding flight simulators like Elite: Dangerous, Microsoft Flight Simulator, or Heliborne will already have knowledge of operating different craft in Newtonian or other realistic game environments. There aren't any facilitating systems in place to prevent pilots from making easy mistakes and no shielding against the elements or untidy impacts.

A slow and steady approach to flight is the best advice for fresh pilots. The strict flight mechanics and environmental hazards will prove a huge challenge to most players new to the genre. It will take persistence and study to get that innate "feel" for flying that eventually comes with practice.

Fortunately, the consequences for crashing a ship in Frontier Pilot Simulator are pretty light.
The player cockpit automatically ejects upon craft destruction and flies itself to its home base.
There, an insurance fee is taken from the player's account and their ship is fully replaced.

The insurance fees are so low, some percentage of the total value of the ship, that it hardly seems a consequence at all.
This aspect will be most useful to flaky fliers.

Overall, the idea is to take up the mantle of a commercial hauler on the frontier of a freshly-colonized planet,
to find and haul cargo and passengers as it suits you, making money and upgrading your ship as you go.

STARTING RUN

This section will guide you through the beginning of the game and get you set up to continue on your own.

Starting a new game drops the player right into a brand new Scarab on the landing pad at base Bridgepoint, looking at the island's spaceport from the cockpit.
The ship AI starts a tutorial sequence for flight and interface controls.
After a message or two, it will automatically move the camera from the cockpit to a 3rd person view.

The cargo-hungry employers in the region want to ensure that you can handle the craft and have some day-one challenges to jump-start a frontier sky trucker.

The first task is a short flight to the spaceport just ahead, to Astlan-1.
Land at the site and the AI will instruct you to manually select a new destination.
Tap the control for this operation, select Astlan-Central and fly there.
Land and recharge, then close the trade interface.
MCC will then provide another task.

Fly the data transmitted to your ship's computer to Astlan-1 and land.
Mr. Plam radios and instructs you to dock and buy some rations for trading.
They're sending you back to Astlan-Central to sell them.
Fly there, land, and sell the rations for a profit.

After selling the rations, Thomas Gunther will contact you with a timed response prompt.
Select the message field and respond in the affirmative or negative.
This particular conversation seems inconsequential, just anecdotal.

His point is that rations sell for a high price at Astlan-Central, suggesting that trade works in similar fashion with other products and locations.

Then, he tells you that you are now free to travel and trade as you wish.
After a few minutes, Mr. Plam will call again to assign you a passenger.
His name is Paul Zonke and he needs taken to Nord base.

Upon landing, Mr. Plam will be awaiting your call for a job opportunity.
Call him through the map -> Contacts interface and he'll tell you of a package that needs picked up at Nord, where you ought to still be.
The cargo is marked on the HUD, just land nearby, back up to the crate, and acquire it.

Mind that this cargo is the first to weigh over two tons and fly just a bit more carefully.
Land with the crate over at Astlan-1, minding the weather and terrestrial hazards.

On this flight, a stellar cargo freighter will be visible flying in from space.
Marvel at the sight without crashing and land safely at the indicated drop zone.

After that, both Mr. Plam and MCC will reach out to say that new upgrades for the Scarab are now available for purchase at Nord base's hangar.
These upgrades are necessary to continue, so pop on in.

The first phase of Scarab upgrades costs 22,149 credits in total:
Hold 'Chain-Nano A' - 3500CR
Mongoose Scarab Engines - 5499CR
S-WAN V.3 Scarab Wings - 9550CR
Economizer AR-1 - 3600CR

You'll need to at least install the S-WAN wings to carry on with the game.
By now, doing nothing to make extra money yet, you'll have around 13k credits.
Make any necessary repairs and buy all the upgrades you can afford.

Now make a few trades and move a few passengers to earn the rest of the credits necessary to complete the Scarab upgrade.
Once all available upgrades are installed, the Scarab becomes much more capable.

Early in the process, MCC will reach out requesting help with an active emergency in the sea to the east of the island.
They need you to fly out and investigate a ship in crisis, its position marked off the coast.
Fly out to the marker once the Scarab is fully-upgraded.

Upon finding the ship, its crew will ask you to enlist the help of the harbor master at Estel Port, back on the island.
Land there and he'll contact you about the ship.
He tells you that there are no repair kits here for that ship and that you should source one on your own as quickly as possible from somewhere else.

Open the map and check the nearby bases for the product "Goliath Droid Repair Kits".
Astlan-1 usually carries them around this time for 2,250 credits.
Fly there, acquire the kit, and return to the sea.

Switch to VTOL when nearing the marker to easily drop the kit at low altitude.
The crew in crisis will relay thanks and aid themselves, giving you leave to fly back to the mainland.

Land at a nearby base to trigger a message from Mr. Plam.
He has a new plan to sell his drones and needs to you to make a black market delivery.
The cargo is marked at Astlan-1, go and acquire it.

Before long, MCC informs you that a new ship is available for purchase at Raglor-Transit, the Ox, if she hasn't already.

Mr. Plam's drones need only be taken up to the freighter docked above the base.
He tells you to be careful in ominous fashion, but there's no danger.
Fly up to the freighter and drop the cargo on the deck at the marker.
Completion yields 2,000 credits and a word of thanks.

Your next major step will be to buy that new ship, the Ox, as it is a major upgrade from the Scarab.
You've been instructed to find it at Raglor-Transit, which is about as far away from the mainland as you'll be able to travel in the Scarab on a single charge.

The Ox at Raglor-Transit costs 29,400 credits.
A single upgrade seems available for it, an enhanced set of engines for 9,890 credits.
Trading in the upgraded Scarab for a new Ox should reduce the cost to around 8,000 credits, so
you should only need to bring around 20,000 credits to afford the Ox and its first engine upgrade.

Right away, this ship will open up the rest of the game world, as it has the capacity for long-range travel and a medium-sized hold.