For me it's pretty much always the same basic procedure:
1.) Cold start the aircraft, get to know the cockpit instrumentation and layout
2.) Taxiing, take off, simple navigation, landing
3.) basic weapons employment
4.) advanced navigation
4.) advanced weapons employment
Learning tools are the official manuals, tutorial missions (if available), youtube tutorials, forum posts.
I frequently write down procedures while learning both as a help in the future and to memorize actions