JimmiG wrote:5. Instantly lost my shields and got my hull shot to 60% by a Viper
6. Fled (thank god for the boost speed of the trusty old Cobra), docked at the nearest station, repaired and rage quit
When I started learning combat, I only assisted NPCs who were shooting wanted bad guys. You can do this in a sidewinder and make a million an hour.
And like another person here mentioned, getting familiar with ship upgrades, weapons (gimballed, my faves) and shields especially helps a lot. Try out all that stuff. Stock equipment is horrid.