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Thrustmaster Airbus Add-On Grip with AVA Joystick Base Review: A First-Class Flight Experience

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Why This Matters

Thrustmaster's AVA Base finally gets a dedicated Airbus grip, filling a gap for home cockpit builders who fly airliners rather than fighters. It signals how fast flight-sim hardware is maturing, but the high price and a wobble that needs dampers to fix show premium gear still has trade-offs.

Key Takeaways
Worth a Look

Thrustmaster AVA Joystick Base with Airbus Add-On Grip — This is the exact setup the review covers: Thrustmaster's AVA base paired with the Airbus-style side-stick grip for a proper airliner feel in Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane. The base's swappable grip system means you can move between Airbus and military-style grips as your home cockpit grows, and its build quality follows in the footsteps of the legendary Warthog.

See Thrustmaster AVA Joystick Base with Airbus Add-On Grip on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.

The Thrustmaster AVA Base paired with the Airbus Add-On Grip delivers almost everything we expect from a high-end flight stick, but the wobble in its standard configuration is unfortunate and requires dampers to fix, and its high cost may put it out of reach for many people.

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The past few years have been an exciting time for flight simulation hardware. Established brands and newcomers alike have introduced a wide range of new products, making it easier and more affordable than ever to build a capable home cockpit.

Thrustmaster has long been one of the leading names in flight simulation hardware. Its HOTAS Warthog has been a staple in home cockpits since its release, earning a reputation for its robust construction. In 2024, Thrustmaster introduced the AVA Joystick Base, bringing several notable improvements over the Warthog base. Until recently, however, there wasn't a dedicated Airbus grip compatible with the AVA base.

In this review, we'll be taking a look at the recently released Thrustmaster Airbus Add-On Grip paired with the AVA Joystick Base. We will put both the grip and the base to the test using the Fenix A320 in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

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Inside the Box

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

The AVA Base contains 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 Dimensions: 3.1 inches / 78 mm wide, 3.3 inches / 83 mm deep, 7.7 inches / 195 mm tall. Weight: 0.4 lb / 203 g.

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