I have found too many times I will hop to a field to defend with a wirble or 37mm and by the time I drill through the clip board menu, my ability to effect the attacker is gone. And so are his targets on that field. I once wished for each ride to have an individual check box and Hitech didn't go for that. The toggles in the clip board seem to be things a dot command can toggle and [.tracer 1] is faster than rummaging through the clip board menus just before launching out of the hanger selection. Or upon popping into the tower to see what is happening at that field.
Tracers are an integral component to aiming with anti aircraft guns, ground and air frame mounted, and was taught that way in WW2. While turning them off in fighters helps surprise your con, keep him waiting for your tracer flash just a bit longer and will teach you to aim versus try to reach out and touch your target with your tracers. The USN found when tracers were no longer used or greatly reduced, pilots were getting more hits on the Japanese aircraft.