You didn't mention which game specifically you are referring to, so I'll just talk about X-Wing and TIE Fighter because those are the ones I remember playing years back when I didn't have a stick.
I used to play them with a mouse. It has the advantage that the turning speed of your craft is not limited by anything but your ability to push your mouse very fast across your desk. It's also a lot more precise then anything else. Downside is that it can be a lot of physical work depending on the situation.
If you have a mouse that can change its sensitivity on the fly with the press of a button then make sure to abuse that at every opportunity.
