I came to Aces High from FA and have been flying here for about 2 weeks. First off, congrats on finding this site... stick with it because this sim is far far FAR more rewarding than FA could ever hope to be. Secondly, I strongly sugest you invest in a joystick and would say that one with 3 axis (rudder on twist) is essential.
Good luck and welcome to the everest of learning curves