Returning, and Baby steps.

[Confutus]

I started with KSP 1.2 something a few years ago, and got frustrated with so many crashes, (especially aircraft). and left it for a while.  I've killed Kerbonauts quite a few times with high-altitude flights where aerodynamics seizes control of the vehicle and sends it pointy end first for mandatory lithobraking. I've exploded a few times on re-entry, and quite a few more times with low-altitude flights where my ship tips over and spins wildly out of control, or the parachute doesn't have time to deploy.  I've build aircraft that get off the runway but not off the ground before tearing off wings and other parts. Name a newbie mistake, and I've probably made it...several times. (experience keeps a dear school and I'm slow learner.)   Since I really don't like crashing and burning, and my piloting skills are atrocious, I haven't made a whole lot of progress before I go back to the beginning and try again. 

I upgraded to 1.8.1. Currently I'm doing a plain unmodded careeer game on a fairly hard difficulty setting: no more reverting flights. On career mode with limited funds,  this tends to enforce a safe, baby steps to avoid losing expensive parts, vehicles, and pilots while I gain experience and correct design flaws...but I have to keep introducing innovations in order to fulfill increasingly difficult contracts. It's a tricky balancing act. and I'm often not sure what innovation to add next.

1) I have jet propelled wheeled ground vehicle loaded with instruments for tooling around the KSC and collecting science.

2) I have a aviation flight test program that I;m using to conduct limited power runway tests in order to find and correct instabilities what would be fatal once I get off the ground.

3) i am conducting tests on various combinations of engine, fuel, and staging, so that I can perform targeted suborbital flights at increasing range.

With the new tools available, so far, KSP has become fun again.

[Vanamonde]

Yeah, that's all pretty normal. Welcome to the forum.