You can have it both ways, use "Axis2Buttons" in the VKB config software. You might have to use one of the beta versions found in the Russian language forums either on vkb's site or the IL2 forum, I forget where I found it. Their programmer puts up beta versions on google drive you can get. I've got the round hat working as both 2-axis and 4 button+press, and depending on the module I use it either way.