It's simple. Extra features require extra controls because there's only so much you can map to a keyboard or even HOTAS without forgetting what you need to push, extra controls require money, so it ends being a choice between
a) enabling a cheaper, universal control device that every PC comes equipped with (mouse) for people that don't have the spare cash, while still being possible to use dedicated controls at the same time for those who want to buy expensive peripherals or build their own custom ones
b) not including new, realism enhancing features because some players are averse to the interface choice (even though there's clearly more than one choice and probably everyone can tune their controls to their preference) or
c) making a sim that only people with $1500 worth of extra peripherals can fly properly.
I'll let you all decide for yourselves which is better for the community and also the potential sales of the sim. It's "everyone can play this by using the right realism settings and controls" VS "only a small percentage can use this properly" VS "let's make it all easy mode because the mouse is not an ideal interfacing option", it's not even a valid dilemma.
I also think there's a part of the community that just wants to cruise around on WEP all day long without having to monitor anything (like in IL2:1946) and think to themselves that it's how it was done in real life, rather than have to face the fact that their preferred gameplay style does not qualify as full switch anymore. There's nothing wrong flying at reduced difficulty settings as long as i'm having fun, that is unless i fly for bragging rights and not fun
It's perfectly fine making the difficult things optional. What's wrong is making the easy way mandatory.