I travel a lot and enjoy Real Flighting on my laptop when I'm stuck in the hotel room. To protect my control sticks so I can pack the controller in my luggage, I took 2 little McCormick spice bottles from the wife's kitchen and sawed off just below the threads with a razor saw. I place them over the sticks on my USB controller and hold them in place with some rubber bands.

I'll probably snap all the switches off, but those sticks will be in great shape!