Wait for HOTS or dive in?

Like many others, I bought ED from the Steam sale. I'd been curious about the game for a long time and the article on anandtech made me really want to play. I've been lurking on the subreddit and watching a ton of youtube videos, but still haven't played. I know I'll still be overwhelmed, despite my attempts at research. I still want to TRY to be as productive as I can the first time I play and I know I won't master everything the first time I play.

1. I really wanted a Saitek X52 Pro but couldn't find any on sale, so I ended up getting a good deal on the Thrustmaster T-Flight, which I should get next Tuesday. Is it better to wait for the HOTS or should I just dive in? I know that there's no harm in learning the keyboard shortcuts (and I still might need some with the baby HOTS) but I just want my first play to be as impressive and amazing as I hope it will be.