For 16 years I've used nothing but my num pad for views. It's exceptional in tracking cons. I NEVER lose sight of a con except if it's on purpose. I use my thumb to control up and down views and adjust my head postition in the middle of a fight. I highly doubt track IR can do anything I can't.
I use a $45 Saitek AV8R joystick and a 22" monitor. My hit % is normally in the 10-12% range. It could be higher with a little discipline but I tend to try for a fair number of long shots (800-1000 yards) and low probability (blind) leading shots in hard turns (which actually aren't that low probability with practice).
I can't even find good uses for all the buttons on my AV8R. I have fire all mapped to the trigger, fire secondary to the rear handle button, flaps up and down mapped to the left and right handle buttons, fire primary to hat forward, zoom toggle to hat back and WEP to both hat left and right and also to my mouse wheel click. I don't use the other four hat positions. On the base buttons I have elevator trim up and down, combat trim toggle and combat trim set mapped to one side and toggle icon view, tail hook and something else I don't use mapped leaving one spot open. That leaves all my buttons open again using the A/B switch for additional functions. I also don't use my duel throttles because that's mapped to my mouse scroll wheel. And then there's my mouse who's extra buttons I can't find a use for.
To think fancy equipment is going to make you a better player is decieving yourself. I can guarantee that I have no disadvantage of meaningful proportions in any situation in the game except as defined by my own skill relative to that of my opponent.
That said if fancy equipment and lots of buttons make you happy go for it.