When you're being chased across the vast sky, you can try using one of those good old flying maneuvers where you slow down and let the enemy get in front of you. It can be quite useful. When you're under enemy fire and your shields are down, use speed boosts to run away long enough for your shields to charge. You can also use speed boosts to chase down some evasive enemies and get rid of them quickly. Use lasers just as a covering fire. Your main weapons should be missiles, so learn how to use them properly. Make sure your energy bar is full before going into any battle. You will need all the energy you can get. Wingmen who refill your missiles can be a lot more useful than the healing ones. There's no point in being healed continuously if you can't cause serious damage to your enemy.