Can someone help me set up Flaming Cliffs 2 ?

[Newbie Simmer]

Just got this one. I'm not getting the controls at all. Tried to fly "QUICK FLY" and the A-10A mission about the port or something...Anyway the aircraft is tipping its nose downwards and I cannot keep it airborne even with significant wrestling. All of the planes are doing this. They gradually keep losing altitude no matter what I do, after a while my jet crahes to the ground. I can control my jet like climbing, firing etc but even after climb I start losing alt. I am very new to this and I don't have any knowledge about flight sims. I am loving this game but can't seem to get the hang of this. Can someone give me a guide to get stared on flying? I need to get flying as soon as possible. And when should I start MP?

So :

1] How should I set the controls on my game pad for essential controls like weapons?

2]How can I start the quick fly on the ground?

3]I'm using a generic gamepad and I've noticed that the throttle returns to the middle as stop pushing it up with my thumb. So how do I fix that?

4] How should I configure the axis (I'm completely lost here)

5} Graphics settings to look great (getting 36-45 fps on my 9400gt 1gb)

6] GREAT Mods?

7]Basic tutorials (text cuz my net's too slow for YouTube)

My Gear :

1) Ordinary generic game pad(HOTAS are impossible to get here:cry:) with 12 buttons, D-pad(4 buttons with arrows) and two thumb stick (i think they are called that). I'm happy with the mouse to look around so I think I can use the D-pad to weapons or something.

2] Keyboard for the more "advanced" flight equipment like engine controls and the other rarely used stuff

3] Mouse to look around.

Please give me a simple layout around these as I'm just learning it.

GFX is bothering me as the terrain is bland texture and the plane's don't have realistic shadows. So are there any mods for that?

My rig(can't afford upgrades) :

2.9 ghz core 2 duo

2 GB RAM

1 GB 9400GT DDR2

256 kbps wifi.

**legal copy***

Thanks in advance.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Newbie Simmer