A thread all about joysticks.
I have a Saitek X45 throttle and stick combo. Its got enough buttons to make even a real F-22 pilot develop a stammer. This stick has over 150 different possible button combinations, meaning you'll never have to touch the keyboard again.
I currently have mine set up for dogfighting, but with a flick of the mode switch I can pilot a four engined bomber, and another flick lets me man and adjust the bombsight, all of which need a whole load of keys on top of the normal piloting ones.
Its a well built combo with a pretty stiff spring on the stick, fine for ham fisted jittery pilots like me. Its USB and the programing is simple point and click, though I have heard of people having problems getting it to install. You have to follow the instructions TO THE LETTER!
All in all its a damn fine stick, though it lacks FFB, but that doesn't really bother me.