RE: question for the NexStar Guru
When my I met my instructor for the first time for the preflight check he said to take off everything including the speed bakes,wing droops,turn off AFS,and limitere on high speed needle. So I didn't learn how to fly with the gizmos and now that I've soloed I'm still not using them.I might give the speed brakes a try later on.
I say just take off everything and you'll be fine.