Look in the missions forum for off line missions.
When you do go online you're just going to die. Offline practice won't prepare you for fighting people. Don't let that discourage you.
OK, I think that came out a little too harsh for what FLS actually was trying to convey.
The online arena is difficult for a new player to survive in. Some offline practice is important to get the very basics and set up your view, controls and assign your keys to game functions in a convenient way. Once you are past that, offline missions will not prepare you very well to the arena game. You simply have to go out there and be prepared to get shot down - repeatedly. That is the only way to learn.
Forget about scores and statistics, put your ego aside in the first few tours and just try to figure out what is going on, while trying to have some fun doing it. Join missions and follow the instruction of the missions leader. Find a squadron to fly with (look at the forum section below) and make some friends. Advancement comes in little steps - in no time you will find out you can engage enemies and survive, at least for a few moves. Then you will be able to go in and out of combat even if you don't shoot anyone down. Kills will come later.
Dont waste time in offline play. AH is meant to be played online and the social interaction is an important part of the game. Then after accumulating some online time, you can join the forum wars
Welcome to AH.
