As a guide Alec this is how it works.
To get more frame rates:
1) Have less cloud layers, less clouds, less cloud density and less cloud draw distance. The less you have the more frame rates.
2) Less resolution and less autogen. The less you have the more frames.
3) Turn down the AI (other aircraft). Like clouds these are moving objects that slow the sim down.
4) Keep the windows low. Having several views going at once, the GPS map, engine, radio and a heap of other windows contribute to slowing the sim down.
5) Turn off all programs you can! They eat you system resources leaving less for your sim to use. This is a major number one infact. Even restarting your computer may help before you fly to get rid of certian programs running. Some of us use programes like enditall to close as many unnecessary thins down to free up resources.
So get things off the taskbar, msn, skype etc etc. If you know what you are doing press control alt delete and get rid of the processes you don't need. (If you make a wrong move just restart your computer).
Obviously there is a trade off. You want a balance between performance and enjoyable graphics. It is simply time and you make fine adjustments.
Oh and do remember that depending what you view you have depends what screens you will get. The outside view eats the most frames, but if you go outside and stare straight up at the sky the frames will shoot up.

You just have to experiment.
