I am not exactly sure why this happens yet but I am finding that frequently when I start FSX I am getting just get a static "Cloud" screen displayed on the Oculus (instead of the virtual cloud that lets you look around). However, I have learned that if you have got to the FSX menu and you have a static cloud screen then there is no point in proceeding. Something is wrong... you neeed to shutdown the game and try again.
Sometime I find that changing the oculus to extended mode and changing back to direct mode again + start game fixes the problem. Sometimes you need to do a full reboot and try again.
However, my main point is it is worth knowing (to newbies) that a static flyinside cloud screen is a clear sign that something is fubar.