I wouldn't necessarily call the old way "expert". Unintuitive, yes. But expert?
What's so expert about it? You need to jump around more to accompish the same thing?
WASD is the newb system and joystick the expert because we're told that new players trying the game can't be expected to own joysticks. I agree that it is ridiculous to reduce functionality for everyone in the game in order to cater to 2-weekers, rather than the much better approach of leaving the functionality for everyone but giving the 2-weekers a backup way to do it (like allowing mouse flying, as opposed to forcing everyone to fly with a mouse and removing any functionality that a mouse can't give you).
HTC appears to be taking a partial step back in the more sensible direction - I say "partial" because it looks like they'll be allowing the mapping of analog controls, but they still won't have analog functionality (that is, right turn, etc. will be ON or OFF, you won't be able to apply just a little bit of it by moving your joystick or pedals just a little to the right).
I've actually had to set up a Mode 4 for the new system as certain "Zoom" type functions will not work with my old Mode 2.
I really wanted to do that, the one thing that's stopped me is I have no idea how to select a Mode to use other than Mode 1 or Mode 2 - I can't find anything about it in what passes for this game's documentation, and no one I've asked has any idea how to do it. I know how to
program Mode 3 or Mode 4, just not how to switch to using them. How is it done?