Yeah, I wish they'd include some sort of X,Y,Z axes indicator, like in, say, 3DS MAX or something.
Now, don't quote me, cuz it's been a while since I tried it, but if your ship is facing the wrong way when it gets in the arena, try this: go into Crafting, open up the ship. Now select the base object, the body on which everything else is built, and use one of the flip-axis options on it. I think--again, don't quote me--but I think the one you want is Flip-Y. That'd be the one to flip in most animation software...assuming your ship is going backward, anyway; if it's going to the side, well...that's a different story.
Anyway, just tryin'a help...assuming I've remembered correctly; I'd go test it before I typed this, but there is a new season of "Orange is the New Black" up, and, well... 
