On the Options screen, set View Mode to Cockpit and Rolling to Free. Take off in your plane and turn your afterburners on to the limit of their capacity. Turn your plane to a 45° angle and fly this way with your guns blazing. You will be going so fast that barely anything can touch you. You will still get hit, and sometimes blow up, but the levels will pass by much quicker and easier than before. When you have to go straight, quickly move up and down to avoid shots. If someone is on your tail, do 180° turns to avoid them.