Hello svtfocusy03,
Please have a look at this topic, which also gives a link to a more detailed pdf.
http://forum.shipsim.com/index.php/topic,4503.0
The aim is to replace analog axis of a joystick by your controllers potentiometers, eventually existing buttons too, or using joytokey or something like that: Google "joystick to keys", I don't know if the results could be relevant.
Good luck,
Luc