Anyone purchase the Thrustmaster AVA base for their Warthog

[kmaultsby]

Anyone purchase the Thrustmaster AVA base for their Warthog? Is so how is it?

[_Hoss]

I'm loving mine so far. 

[slughead]

It's wobbly and like a jelly. Whilst changing the springs removes some of the wobble, it's still there. The original Warthog base was better and I expect I will be swapping back and selling the AVA at some point.

[Hempstead]

4 hours ago, slughead said:

It's wobbly and like a jelly. Whilst changing the springs removes some of the wobble, it's still there. The original Warthog base was better and I expect I will be swapping back and selling the AVA at some point.

Kind of agree. I don't like AVA either. I packed it away.

Don't get me wrong. I think this is a personal preference. WH, IMHO, has too high the centering force. And, it's not adjustable. But by design, AVA has theoretical zero force at equilibrium center point (this may not be the same as the physical center point). This is the opposing spring design's fundamental effect. The CAM helps a bit, but it's very weak. It's so weak that you have to look for it to feel its effect. It's a much better design than Cougar, using the CAM as the adjustable centering force. I think it has potential, but the CAMs are still crappy.

 

It's probably good for flying helos, but I am mostly an airplane flyer. 

 

[Lange_666]

I just wonder what the problem really is with wobbling?
All bases (Virpil, VKB, TM AVA, old Cougar mods) which use a similar gimbal approach wobble around the centerpoint.
This is due to the design. They will always wobble, and will wobble more with lighter springs and heavier sticks.
But... it never has been a problem since i don't let go of the stick.
So i just wonder what problem people have with the wobble.

I prefer this 200% over the imprecise sticky plastic original TM WH gimbal which went out of the door as soon as i got it.)

[slughead]

Each to their own. I can feel the wobble near the centre. It's not right. It may not be noticeable with sticks on poles, but mine is desk-mounted. I don't get that with the WH, which was working fine for me with no sticking. 

[Lange_666]

No poles here, mine is desktop with no extension.

[_Hoss]

I prefer the AVA now that I've used it for a while. I have a center mounted Hornet stick, on a 10cm curved extension. 

But.........  I do hope they come out with adjustable clutch dampers at some point.

[Hempstead]

On 8/7/2024 at 2:49 AM, slughead said:

Each to their own. I can feel the wobble near the centre. It's not right. It may not be noticeable with sticks on poles, but mine is desk-mounted. I don't get that with the WH, which was working fine for me with no sticking. 

Indeed, each to their own. For me... it's not so much of the wobble. Although the rare occasion that I let go of the stick and it wobbles causes my F-16 to also wobble is very annoying, it's resolvable by carefully letting go of the stick. What really bothers me is the not knowing the center by the feel. That is... I have no idea whether I am at center or not. So, that means you have to setup ample amount of dead center, or else. It really doesn't matter much during a fight, but it bothers me a lot when trying to do some daily maneuvers like flying a DME Arc, or aerial refueling. Misjudge the center during aerial refueling, you die. So, you are forced to do the dynamic balancing thing, like the one legged MIT robot, i.e. never stop moving, and constantly do "small corrections."

I prefer to do one small correction. Let go (no force, but keep the hand there), watch... and do another small correction. Let go.... That is very difficult to do with the AVA. In other words, it forces me to constantly inferring with the F-16, and I don't fly like that. I trim, as taught by my flight instructors.

Again, like I said, this is really down to a personal preference. What they really need is a CAM with an abrupt "fold line" at the center to create a centering notch. You can make one yourself. I won't be bothered to make one, as I have my own stick design to complete.

[slughead]

16 hours ago, _Hoss said:

I do hope they come out with adjustable clutch dampers at some point.

I wouldn't hold your breath. When has Thrustmaster ever released improvements other than new grips for their products?

[_Hoss]

Slughead, you need to change your handle to, Moriarty.......

[jye0622]

Hi ! If you replace the soft springs and fly the AH-64D, you will love the AVA Base!

[rcjonessnp175]

On 12/12/2024 at 2:53 AM, jye0622 said:

Hi ! If you replace the soft springs and fly the AH-64D, you will love the AVA Base!

Are you saying use the soft springs?  Looking to pick one up for the rotorwing side of dcs

[Steel Jaw]

Will it attach to the existing warthog stick plate?

[slughead]

Yes.

[Waffle 1-1]

On 8/8/2024 at 5:05 PM, Hempstead said:

So, you are forced to do the dynamic balancing thing, like the one legged MIT robot, i.e. never stop moving, and constantly do "small corrections."

 

Interesting. I switched from the warthog base to the Ava and found the refueling, landing and random stuff easier on the first try.

The wobble doesn’t bother me but it is an acquired taste, to say the least. I find the hardest part finding the center position, as you said. I find myself looking forward and back to the target a lot more, just to make sure I am stable and not overcorrecting.

So far I like it very much, but my warthog base had a seriously sticky center position which is terrible for small corrections.