I started with thumbs and realized that "pinching" was far more precise FOR ME! I do use a tray with extended sticks and heavy duty springs. I used to fly single sticks and I'm about to make my own single stick from an old World Engines single stick and the guts from a DX6i tx. Yeah, I know that the DX6i is not the most advanced radio out there but it is more simple to convert. I now use a X9303 and will miss the excellent programing. But, hey, I'm getting older than dirt so I won't miss it that much!
Frank