As mentioned.
It can be st aside as a button bay and you can add any other stick you like to fly with.
I have the X-45 Microsoft FFB Ch pedals combined.
I have yet to find a throttle that allows me to do a few things, that the x-45 allows me.
I'll be hard pressed to give it up.
My x-45 stick axis has been banded to things like drop tanks, tail hook, open canopy, raise seat, all the buttons, are used for Bomb sites or Bail out under the flip switch cover.
I use IL2 stick to manage my input curves.