Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition

Based on early impressions, this is a brilliant piece of hardware. The build quality is fantastic and the jump up in my flight simming experience is beyond anything i imagined (I was using a Switch Pro before). The equipment is great to hold, feels solid and has just the right amount of buttons to fly completely KB-free provided you are an amateur flyer who is just getting into flight sims. I mostly use this with MSFS 2020 so I cannot comment on how this would work with military aviation sims like DCS.

Airbus Edition puts you in the cockpit

For MSFS 2020, the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition is THE best value controller by far!!!It just works! Plug it in and fly! Sure beats the silliness of trying to use keyboard and mouse - let alone an X-Box controller, and it doesn't break the bank or chew up way too much desk space!What else needs to be said?!! If you enjoy flightsims and you were hanging for MSFS 2020, without looking forward to spending a fortune on yokes/throttle quadrants/peddles or any of the other "over-the-top" gear you could invest in if you're an 'obsessive' - i.e. you just want a bit of fun 'virtual' flying, that you could if you suddenly felt the desire - given the immersive sense MSFS 2020 gives with it's almost 'real' visuals; tackle a more geeky flight scenario without ... MoreFor MSFS 2020, the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition is THE best value controller by far!!!It just works! Plug it in and fly! Sure beats the silliness of trying to use keyboard and mouse - let alone an X-Box controller, and it doesn't break the bank or chew up way too much desk space!What else needs to be said?!! If you enjoy flightsims and you were hanging for MSFS 2020, without looking forward to spending a fortune on yokes/throttle quadrants/peddles or any of the other "over-the-top" gear you could invest in if you're an 'obsessive' - i.e. you just want a bit of fun 'virtual' flying, that you could if you suddenly felt the desire - given the immersive sense MSFS 2020 gives with it's almost 'real' visuals; tackle a more geeky flight scenario without going the whole hog!!!If what I've written so far has - like a Airbus A320 Neo; gone over your head/s - I'll simplify it for those who can at least hop into a virtual cockpit without endangering actual lives; the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition joystick is a product I'd 100% fully recommend for use with MSFS 2020.

Best mid priced joystick on the market . The only one that is Ambidextrous and includes 4 Axis control .

This is the only mid priced Ambidextrous joystick with all four Axis onboard . It is precise and all Axis and buttons are programmable\editable via a comprehensive software editor . Precise movement tracking using Hall effect magnetic sensors . All in all great value . The one downside is that i like many , find the spring resistance too stiff . I corrected mine by removing the spring and compressing it to 50% of its uncompressed length and binding thin wire on it to retain the compressed state . I then heated the spring for 20-30 seconds with a blowtorch and quenched in cold water to re set the spring tension . This can also be done using small cable ties or fishing line which is reversible but runs the risk of snagging ( see you tube video's )

Dan's review of Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition Joystick - Black & Blue

Pros: The stick feels comfortable in the hand and its response makes it very easy to do micro adjustments. I like the added rudder lock, which is fairly easy to activate and deactivate. The fact you can switch the buttons on the controller is useful for those who want to use their other hand.Installation is pretty much plug and play, too.Cons: Once the reverse thrust option is enabled, it restricts the already limited amount of wiggle room you have to set the desired level. Also, the notch between the two directions is so subtle that it can easily be passed without realising. An actual lever would have been better than a slider in my honest opinion.

Excellent joystick, I recommend it

It is ideal for Airbus series of airliners where the joystick is on the left hand side for the Captain and it can be adjusted easily for right hand operation too. It is a nice joystick to use for fighter jet aircraft too for right hand operation. It is very comfortable in use and the control response is good. The buttons are customizable and it works well with my Honeycombe Bravo throttle quadrant. I am very pleased with it.

Great addition to MSFS

When Top Gun came out, MSFS released an update that included Top Gun challenges and I just had to try it out. If you use a keyboard/mouse or a game pad to navigate around MSFS, it can be done but your experience won't be as pleasant. I wanted a game stick that can be versatile and that I won't have to buy multiple accessories just to do certain specific things. This Airbus edition checks them all. It has roll, pitch and yaw plus buttons and a thrust slider. The sensors implemented is sensitive and the buttons has a good tactile feel. Yes it's all made in quality plastics.As for longevity, I've only had the unit for a couple weeks and have put a lot of fun hours in MSFS. So far, so good!

Jack's review of Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition Joystick - Black & Blue

Pros: The general ergonomics and movement of the stick itself is great, although I haven’t experienced the real deal, it does seem relatively representative of the real Airbus Side Stick in general look and feel - the interchangeable/ambidextrous button options are a great touch too. The centre of travel feels firm and assured, and movement around the axis is smooth and works great in Xplane 11 on my ToLiss Airbus addons.Cons: The throttle ‘slider’ feels a little unintuitive, this is understandable as built in throttles such as this are rarely adequate in terms of travel and feel due to the size, but the reverse thrust ‘detent’ is so small that it feels almost unusable. It seems clear to me that Thrustmaster would prefer you purchase their dedicated Airbus Throttle ... MorePros: The general ergonomics and movement of the stick itself is great, although I haven’t experienced the real deal, it does seem relatively representative of the real Airbus Side Stick in general look and feel - the interchangeable/ambidextrous button options are a great touch too. The centre of travel feels firm and assured, and movement around the axis is smooth and works great in Xplane 11 on my ToLiss Airbus addons.Cons: The throttle ‘slider’ feels a little unintuitive, this is understandable as built in throttles such as this are rarely adequate in terms of travel and feel due to the size, but the reverse thrust ‘detent’ is so small that it feels almost unusable. It seems clear to me that Thrustmaster would prefer you purchase their dedicated Airbus Throttle Quadrant, but obviously for a small built-in throttle it isn’t bad - it could just perhaps benefit from a more conventional style (like the Logitech Extreme 3D where it has more of a rotary mechanism, as opposed to a slider). I must stress though that anyone serious about the throttle input probably has a dedicated throttle anyway!

Review by real-life Airbus pilot

I have around 2500 hours on an A320, and got this stick to use with Microsoft Flight Simulator to keep current with my flying procedures. The stick is almost exactly the same size as the real Airbus side stick, although it feels marginally narrower. The hat button is positioned where the thumb naturally rests on the side stick so that's a slight adjustment I have to make while using it. It isn't a huge deal, but does mean I've had to change the way I normally apply control pressure.Besides that small aspect to be aware of, the smoothness of movement is very good, although I would have preferred a slightly heavier feel (more resistance), but given the price of this controller that's easy to forgive. The button layout is well suited to flight control mapping, using ... MoreI have around 2500 hours on an A320, and got this stick to use with Microsoft Flight Simulator to keep current with my flying procedures. The stick is almost exactly the same size as the real Airbus side stick, although it feels marginally narrower. The hat button is positioned where the thumb naturally rests on the side stick so that's a slight adjustment I have to make while using it. It isn't a huge deal, but does mean I've had to change the way I normally apply control pressure.Besides that small aspect to be aware of, the smoothness of movement is very good, although I would have preferred a slightly heavier feel (more resistance), but given the price of this controller that's easy to forgive. The button layout is well suited to flight control mapping, using the same sense of operation as in any aircraft (single axis control for flaps, gear, spoilers, as well as the ability to control thrust (and reverse thrust). The rudder lock is also a great feature and let's you get away with using the twist on the ground for steering, then lock it when airborne (for commercial aircraft such as the 320 rudders are not used in air unless needed in case of an OEI - one engine inoperative scenario). The throttle slider leaves a bit to be desired given how small it is, but again I can't be too picky at this price.All-in-all a great buy at the price. Not the most realistic experience available but it really hits home on the value front, especially with the number of controls it allows to mapped with the buttons.

Very good flight stick

Used in Flight Simulator 2020. The flight stick is very pleasant in the hand with perfect resistance (for me) along the axis and just the right amount of throw. Yes it's made of plastic but it doesn't feel cheap by any means, the base also has a good weight to keep it in place.I can only compare it my gamepad that I used previously (PS style) and the difference is night and day. With the gamepad, landings were possible but it was hard work. With this stick landings have become my favourite part of the game!I take one star because I don't like the base buttons much, they feel wobbly and you have to hit the centre, otherwise good tactile feedback. The throttle also doesn't excite me but it gets the job done. I would have liked a wheel slider for trim control.

mat's review of Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition Joystick - Black & Blue

Pros: Interchangeable button modules for left/right configuration are great and very quick and easy to change. I use two of these sticks as a HOSAS setup in Star Citizen and they are superb.Cons: The base is really big, so if you're mounting two side-by-side (like me) make sure you have plenty of room