If you get a Joystick, make sure it has the following:
8-way coolie hat
throttle lever
rudder (twist or rocker)
as many buttons as you can get your hands on
A good and cheap starter stick would be the Saitek 290 for around 20 USD at Walmart. Or, if you plan on staying a while and can spend a little more the X45 or X52 from Saitek. Top notch out there is CH - a full setup (stick, throttle, pedals) around 300 USD.
Whatever you get, stay away from Logitech sticks... theyve had serious quality problems.
A search in this or Software/Hardware Forum for "Joystick" will dig out a lot more detailed recommendations.