The Drunken Lancer Datapad at http://gunbeard.servebeer.com/ has guides for intermediate and advanced pilots and a Combat Guide, with quotes and advice from their beloved members. Includes guides to such culinary delights as Advanced Combat and Dogfighting.

I don't have much time to play games so I can't recommend any servers to play on but I'm sure some of the regular characters around here will give you some advice.

Thx for the reply - sounds just what I'm looking for. Am checking it out now.

Tbh. i recommend you to play online on some popuplar servers, do some pvp and you will learn all the basics faster than any guide can teach you.
You will not learn much by reading.

/ Legion Condor / Freelancer Clan / Click here

I'm still working through the story at the moment. If I can't beat level 15 AI I'll have no chance on Multiplayer.

Those guides were very helpful actually. I didn't know you could drift at thrust speed by killing the engine and I didn't know that reversing the engines gave you a really tight turn.

I also found a section explaining how experienced pilots would start on multiplayer. It seems most sell weapons and nanobots and buy a couple of Lavablades. Then they'll do a mission and buy a rhino and some trade runs / hit depots until they can afford better a better ship.

So the reading has been very helpful and seeing as I'm at work doing real practice is a bit hard