Picked up a Thrustmaster Reflex 3D last weekend and did not regret it. This stick has made my AH experience enjoyable once again (just about quit because of my spiking M$ stick). Its smooth as silk, comfortable, and a joy to use. It has 8 buttons (4 on the stick 4 on the base), 8-way view hat, throttle, and twisting axis for rudder control. It also uses USB for the interface.
FWIW - I might be wrong about this, but I don't think there's any utility to program the stick (or at least any that I could find). But this is much of a non-issue with newer sims.