These are the guides recommended to me when I got started and they are great.
- Create a new profile with the button mappings
- Fix the AP VS bug
- Build your engine profiles
As for ATC, you have a couple options.
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Pilot2ATC - Voice activated (Talk back and forth) can also get real live ATC chatter which is frequency appropriate and plays in the background for realism.
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VATSIM - Talk live / on-line with people (who have completed training) that work as the sim ATC.