Thrustmaster's AVA Base and Airbus Grip Deliver Premium Flight Simulation Control

The flight simulation hardware market has expanded dramatically in recent years, with both established manufacturers and newcomers releasing products that make building a home cockpit more accessible. Thrustmaster has maintained its position as a leading player in this space, with the HOTAS Warthog serving as a benchmark product since its introduction. The company's 2024 launch of the AVA Joystick Base marked a significant step forward, though a compatible Airbus-specific grip was absent until now.

This review examines the recently released Thrustmaster Airbus Add-On Grip paired with the AVA Joystick Base, testing both components using the Fenix A320 in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

Inside the Box

The Airbus Add-on Grip ships with the grip itself, the A400M module, and a button cover.

The AVA Base includes the joystick base, two sets of two cams (Aero and Jet), three sets of two springs (Soft, Medium, and Strong), three masks (Small, Medium, and XL), two Allen keys, and one detachable USB-C cable.

• Airbus Add-on Grip: 3.1 inches / 78 mm wide, 3.3 inches / 83 mm deep, 7.7 inches / 195 mm tall; Weight: 0.4 lb / 203 g
• AVA Base: 4.3 inches / 108 mm wide, 6.7 inches / 170 mm deep, 2.8 inches / 72 mm tall; Weight: 2.4 lb / 1,069 g

Thrustmaster also provided an AVA Base Plate for desktop mounting and an AVA Dual Pitch Cam containing two FBW (fly-by-wire) cams designed to simulate the control sensation of fly-by-wire aircraft. These items are available as separate purchases.

Customization

The AVA Base prioritizes customization, enabling users to shape their flying experience through interchangeable components. Swappable cams adjust axis curves, different springs fine-tune resistance, and deflection masks limit travel range.

The user manual provides recommended configurations for various aircraft types. For airliner-style operation with the Airbus Add-On Grip, the manual suggests pairing the Jet Cam with the Medium spring. Thrustmaster's included FBW cams aim to deliver more authentic fly-by-wire control feel matching Airbus A3XX aircraft.

The AVA Base includes T.A.R.G.E.T (Thrustmaster Advanced pRogramming Graphical EdiTor), software that permits further axis tuning and access to community-created advanced profiles.

The Airbus Add-On Grip provides its own customization options. An included module and button cover transform the grip from an A3XX sidestick into an A400M sidestick. An integrated mechanical lock can disable the Z-axis, preventing unintended twist inputs.

Both components proved straightforward to customize.

Build Quality

The AVA Base projects a premium aesthetic through its high-quality plastic exterior and metal top plate. Two limitations emerged during evaluation. Standing alone, the base lacks sufficient stability for aggressive stick inputs, making the optional AVA Base Plate a practical addition that substantially enhances stability. Additionally, the base ships with minimal damping, causing stick wobble during light finger movements, though this remains unnoticeable during normal flight operations. Thrustmaster sells additional dampers separately to address this concern.

The Airbus Add-On Grip functions as a 1:1 replica of the Airbus A3XX sidestick, matching the shape and ergonomic characteristics of the actual aircraft control. In standard airliner configuration, it displays the distinctive red autopilot disconnect button. The interchangeable module and removable button cover enable conversion to A400M-style sidestick configuration.

Both the AVA Base and Airbus Add-On Grip employ Hall effect sensors with 16-bit precision. The base utilizes them on the X and Y axes, while the grip uses them for the twist (Z) axis and integrated mini-stick.

How Does it Feel?

The AVA Base immediately impressed with its authenticity compared to the Thrustmaster Warthog. Unlike the Warthog, no noticeable center detent exists when passing through neutral position. Resistance builds progressively as the stick moves away from center, producing smoother and more natural control inputs.

Versus the Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Sidestick, the AVA Base provides less overall travel on both X and Y axes, with progressively increasing resistance rather than the TCA's more linear response. Compared against experience with an A320 simulator, this behavior closely replicates the authentic Airbus sidestick feel, delivering more genuine controls.

The Hall effect technology and 16-bit precision enable extremely fine and precise inputs. This matches how one actually operates an Airbus—through small, deliberate sidestick movements.

The Airbus Add-On Grip captures both the appearance and tactile sensation of the genuine Airbus sidestick, with ergonomics that feel immediately natural to anyone with Airbus flight or simulator experience.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Testing

Testing employed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 with the Fenix A320. Though MSFS 2024 includes multiple Airbus aircraft, the Fenix was selected for its exceptionally accurate flight model and flight dynamics, providing the optimal platform for evaluating Airbus flight controls.

Testing also incorporated the FBW cams designed to replicate Airbus fly-by-wire sidestick feel. However, based on A320 simulator experience, the standard Jet cams bundled with the AVA Base felt more authentic. The FBW cams produced a more pronounced center detent, whereas the Jet cams delivered a smoother center transition that more accurately matched genuine Airbus sidestick behavior.

Three distinct scenarios were evaluated:

1. Basic maneuvering: Flying at 5,000 feet, gentle turns and pitch changes assessed base precision during small, accurate control inputs
2. Turbulent approach: An approach into Las Vegas under hot, windy conditions with strong updrafts and downdrafts required larger, more frequent control inputs to evaluate resistance and turbulence handling
3. Curved approach: The RNAV Visual approach to Runway 1R at San Francisco International Airport, featuring a sweeping right-hand arc at low altitude, tested both precision and responsiveness

Basic Maneuvering

At 5,000 feet, the AVA Base demonstrated impressive precision during small pitch and roll adjustments. Compared to the Warthog and TCA Airbus Sidestick, the AVA Base permitted significantly finer roll inputs, simplifying small corrections and precise flight path maintenance.

When managing vertical speed through pitch adjustments, consistent achievement of desired climb or descent rates within approximately 100 feet per minute demonstrated the control capability enabled by high-resolution sensors.

Turbulent Approach

Summer landings in Las Vegas present challenges through extreme heat, strong winds, and thermals along the approach corridor, creating significant turbulence and unstable approaches. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 replicates these conditions via its Live Weather system. While overcorrection risks pilot-induced oscillations, these conditions demand more frequent and occasionally larger control inputs than typical approaches.

The AVA Base performed admirably during this turbulent approach. The conditions necessitated slightly larger inputs, allowing perception of the base's progressive resistance as movement increased from center, which felt authentic. Very rapid corrections countered turbulence while maintaining the published approach path.

Curved Approach

During the RNAV Visual approach to Runway 1R at San Francisco International Airport, precise tracking of the sweeping right-hand arc extended all the way to the final waypoint, SQIRL. Once established at SQIRL, the AVA Base's responsiveness enabled smooth runway centerline alignment.

Competing products, including the Warthog and TCA Airbus Sidestick, produced more pronounced jerky movements during this approach, likely attributable to lower precision around the neutral position.

Overall Thoughts

Extensive testing of the AVA Base and Airbus Add-On Grip produced considerable enthusiasm. As competitors have narrowed the gap with the Thrustmaster Warthog—and even surpassed it in certain areas—the AVA Base signals a return to the quality and refinement standards associated with the brand.

The AVA Base delivered exceptional precision, smooth control, and an authentic Airbus-like feel across diverse challenging flight scenarios. The newly released Airbus Add-On Grip finally enables pairing this high-end base with a dedicated airline-style sidestick, positioning it as a strong option for users who regularly operate Airbus aircraft.

The primary obstacle remains cost. The engineering sophistication and build quality command premium pricing, potentially placing the AVA Base and Airbus Add-On Grip beyond reach for many users. For those pursuing a high-quality Airbus stick and prepared to invest in a premium configuration, the Thrustmaster AVA Base paired with the Airbus Add-On Grip represents a compelling choice.

Source: Tom's Hardware