Ok, first I'll tell you how to get flight pretty early in the game. MM8 is actually extremely easy, since you can hire a dragon almost at the start of the game and then not have to worry about anything else, strolling through the dungeons and outdoor areas, even flying if you wish. The method is simple: collect all the horseshoes you find (there should be 3 in Daggerwounds, 3 in Ravenshore, and another 3 in Garrote Gorge iirc). That's 9 horseshoes in total, giving you 18 Skill Points. Remeber to NOT use them yet!
At the beginning of the game you find yourself in Dagger Wound Islands, infested by tonnes of pirates. Don't worry too much about them, just try to sort out how to open the portals to the Abandoned Temple (you'll get a quest at the Town Hall and should also talk to a Cleric in the city). Avoid all unnecessary fights, no use getting killed by monsters which you can easily come back and evaporate later ;)
After you've reached the Abandoned Temple, just scramble through it to the other side. With a little luck you should be able to get through it within a couple of hours after the beginning of the game (11-12am). Now take the ship to Ravenshore, where you will collect another 3 horseshoes and take a coach to Garrote Gorge, or even walk there (from the left side of the map past the wolves). Again, do not tally much in Ravenshore, unless you plan to travel in style (ie by coach), in which case you could stick around for a couple of days and do a few quests.
Now you're finally in Garrote Gorge, where you have no real enemies, both the dragons and the hunters will leave you alone if you don't bother them. If you came by coach, the 3 last horseshoes are right behind the stables. If you walked, go over the bridge and into the main city to the south. Now go to the north (where those dragons are flying) and into the dragon cave, where you can hire Ithilgore. Don't worry, none of those monsters will harm you.
Once you have Ithilgore in your party, use at least 6 of the horseshoes on him, that should be 12 Skill points plus 15 that he already has (27 in total). That translates to 2+3+4+5+6+7 Skill Points used for the Dragon "Skill" (see spells) which with a little bit of gold will allow Ithilgore to become a Master Dragon (both the Expert and Master trainers are in the same cave). Voila! The wonder of Flight!
:)
After leaving Dagger Wounds (and preferably picking up Ithilgore the way I explained above), just go to the 4 Elemental Planes and pick up the four parts of the key for Crystal (as I said, you're supposed to know what you're doing). Then simply go back to Ravenshore and stroll in...;)
