You can have a co pilot in your aircraft, but if you use addons which have more complex programming, such as PMDG, which is a must-fly if you want to do it seriously, shared aircraft will bug. I am willing to teach you VOR/ADF/ATC should you be interested.
Mind you I also need to re learn somethings as it's been nearly 1 year since i last touched FSX.
If we were all to join an existing VA I would recommend one not from the US, nor from the UK. Most of us are european, therefore an european VA would make sense. I am not aware at all with the US flying rules, they have some different atc protocol and some different units. If I am not wrong, they also have a little difference with ATC in the UK. I am aware of Non UK European ATC comms.
Anyways, If there are financial possibilities, a brand new VA would probably be the best way to go, given some of tduckers would have to spend some time learning some things, that includes me as I have forgotten much.
Some must haves, nonetheless, are PMDG addons, and air charts. Air charts are obligatory if one wants to use ivao/vatsim. Ivao is better imho due to more ATC coverage in Europe. Charts are not hard to interpret, specially Jeppesen charts. Actually very easy.