Actually, I do believe that getting an instructor is the best way .... of course I did NOT.

I got FMS and played with it for a few months (all the different planes and sceneries that I could find), just using the PC keyboard.

Then I got myself some decent gear: radio, charger, GWS E-Starter. The E-Starter is a bit hot for a first plane but I managed not to break it, practicing over long grass (no landing gear).

About 30 years of interest in things that fly may have helped a bit in getting my stuff right.