Are you guys looking at the axis in the axis mapping? If you double click on the throttle axis and you can chk the range of motion on the little box that comes up.... and do you have enable flightstick throttle on in control options? Just a thought... my little logitec PS3 controller look alike works great...
I´ve rechecked all settings yesterday evening. Enabled flightstick throttle, Linearity for throttle axis to 0 and it`s working now.

Don`t know what changed the situation because flightstick throttle was enabled by default, but I changed that setting after I had these problem with the throttle range. I´m able to fly NOE now and to come to a hover a few feet above the ground
without to engage Autohover.
I did a free flight above a town in Zazirkistan and it was a immersive ride. I have to admit that sounds are really great. Bullets and RPGs flew around me and my gunner was screaming. Gun sound and FLIR is like that what we can hear and see in all these Apache youtube videos. I like it!
Sure, we still need a Apache simulation exclusive made for PCs.