a "low cost" approach to let the flight model "talk to me" and also smaller the 'mismatch' between the "real thing" and my "desktop experience" :
Two MS FFB2 with Cougar Grip
my short summary: Yes , you can have xxx with a rubber-doll, and you can also "fly" without a FFB stick at the desktop ... it's doable..., sure... , many do it this way....
... but it will never satisfy you after you made experience with the real world .