I agree completely though, the Starflier can't really hold its own if you're against 4 or more enemies with those cheap weapons you start the game with, and you're not a relatively good pilot. Your first priority should be to head to the nearest bar, get yourself an easy level 1 or 2 mission, win it, and repeat the same process over and over, progressively upgrading your weapons and ship.
Once you get a Patriot, with a Class 2 or better shield, and some Lavablades, nothing really should be able to touch you in the core Liberty systems. Especially since cruise-disruptor-wielding enemies are few and far between, and you can easily run away from a nasty situation (refer to the several "fast docking" to trade lanes or jumpgates posts floating around).
The AI itself can easily be thrown off if you use afterburners (the TAB key) often in combat. If you find yourself being repeatedly pounded from all sides, hit the afterburner and don't fly straight. And if you really feel like pulling a frontal attack on 4 incoming enemies, remember you can strafe left and right.