Of course you could take your time on the first mission, but will end up missing out on half of the game. Once the original demand has been met there is no time limit stipulated to the secondary missions allowing for more cunning tactics to be deployed with ample time to enjoy carrying them out. Through the course of the game you will get to pilot many different planes, of all shapes and sizes, dependant on who your employee is. Expect also to reveal a few secret craft. The planes here are split into three types - heavy, normal or light planes.
Heavy planes can survive some serious damage, but they have slow acceleration.
Normal planes can stand moderate damage and have slightly faster acceleration. In most missions you get to choose from a few planes, but later in the game you'll be stuck with one super plane. Most of the aircraft have multiple missile and gun choices, but a selection must be made before the battle commences. The face buttons are used to select target, fire missile or gun and zoom in on the radar. Shoulder buttons throttle up and down and tilt the plane.