Sorry to hear your HOTAS isn't working with it. Unfortunately the control mapping capabilities (which there are really none) are non-existent in these games. Basically you are stuck with whatever the game recognizes as a controller.
Regarding TIR - yeah..the only way it works is when you are in the cannon mode, and then only if you are using mouse emulation mode. There's no reason not to use it in cannon mode though since you can't use the mouse to do anything else in the game anyway..

It is a fun little time diversion. Sometimes it's nice to just boot up a mission and fly a lite sim instead of going through a 20 minute startup sequence.

And the helo dynamics aren't that bad at all!