A nice trick might be to slow down time while the player is reading the manual - even if they never notice, it'll make you feel like you're figuring things out as you go while removing some of the frustration.
Also, if the player knows enough information to keep the plane in the air right from the start, it'll be easier to create that frantic dynamic of flipping from the manual back to the controls. Maybe the manual can be teaching you a complicated landing sequence instead?
Anyway, great submission and beautiful presentation! Congrats!