Yes, on certain stations/planets (starting with New Detroit) you get to talk to some guys in bars which give you missions which further the plot begun in the intro.
I've always flown it. I usually pile a triple patrol mission simultaneously so I still get paid for a flight. I didn't know you could just land again until I read the CIC guides.
A triple patrol? I thought you were allowed to schedule only three missions at a time, including plot missions, which would limit you to two missions on top of the Sandoval mision.
Nah, triple bounties are great for systems like Oxford, where there are only a few neighbouring systems. Patrols are okay in New Detroit, where there are plenty of nav points == greater compensation.