To get the most enjoyment from your simulator we recommend at least a joystick to control the pitch and roll of the aircraft: flying is much easier and more realistic with one. Vehicle control is equally improved. A throttle and rudder pedals will also make your flying more enjoyable and immersive. At Maple Flag Missions we use the Thrustmaster's Warthog HOTAS and Saitek Rudder Pedals.
TrackIR is a controller that can follow your head movement and change the direction you are viewing while in game. This is a must for dogfighting or tracking a target while flying and provides a very immersive experience. Once you try it you will never want to play without it again.
Targets are much easier to see and cockpits are larger, making it feel like you are actually in the pit. With the mouse, clickable cockpits, and a fancy IR glove you can select the switches on screen further adding to the immersion. We use a 47" LG LK520 at Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080).
To get the most immersive experience a VR headset like the Occulus Rift is ideal. It really looks like you are in the cockpit with 3 dimensional views of all cockpit switches and controls. The feeling of height is also realized when flying. Nothing else comes close.