What is it?

The MOZA AB9 Base is a high-performance flight simulator base designed to reproduce a realistic and immersive flight experience. Armed with dual servo motors delivering 12Nm of torque, it’s able to replicate true-to-life force feedback and other effects such as engine rumble, turbulence, gear motion and many others bringing your simulation experience to life.

Key Features

  • Providing peak torque of up to 12Nm
  • Dynamic feedback from engine, taxiing, takeoff, landing and turbulence effects
  • Wide compatibility with titles such as DCS, MSFS 2020/2024, X-Plane, IL-2
  • Support for 3rd party joysticks from brands such as Thrustmaster

Sean

About The Author:

Sean is a pilot with over two decades of experience in aviation and senior technology roles within Airlines and Non-Profit sectors. He's a lifelong flight simmer and avid VR user, blending his passion for flying with cutting-edge technology.

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Unboxing

Arriving with a collection of other products, the first thing I noticed about the box for the base was its weight. Clearly something serious was contained in this box. Upon opening you’re treated to the usual sight of a manual and some stickers to cover your walls with but digging deeper and removing the foam separator reveals a plush bag containing the base and a box holding your power pack and associated cables.

Quite the collection!

The main base comes in a nice black protector bag making it feel even more special as you open it and pull it down over to reveal the base in all its glory. The bag did a great job of protecting the unit during its trip with no visible damage to the unit from its travels.

Further inspection reveals a fairly serious power brick and associated kettle cable to power the base along with a USB Type-A to Type-B cable for connectivity to your PC and tool bag.

Box Contents: MOZA AB9 Base | USB-A to Type B Cable | Tool Bag | User Manual | Power Pack and Cable

Construction and Materials

Measuring in at over 22 cms long, 15cms wide and over 20cms high without a flight stick attached, this is no small base. I’m convinced that if you ever experience a home invasion, this could be a great choice of weapon for self-defense.

With the buzzword of aviation grade aluminum being used often throughout the website and literature, the base looks to be well constructed and solid. If this is to mount to a flight cockpit/sim pit, it should feel right at home amongst the rest of the aluminum extrusion. If desk mounted, I dare say this would outlast the lifespan of the desk.

All black construction with aluminum on all sides, only a soft leather/vinyl dust hides the magic that awaits inside. In keeping with the norm, there is the typical metal threaded ring ready to mate with your chosen flight stick.

Located on the front of the base is a nice plaque again reminding you of what you’ve purchased along with your individual serial number. The sides of the unit don’t have much to tell but once rearward facing you’re greeted with several connections. A USB Type B for PC connectivity, 4 what look to be RJ11 connectors most likely for connectivity for the rest of the MOZA ecosystem yet to come, followed by a 6-pin power connector and power on/off button.

I also noted 2 extrusion channels allowing for sliding in T-Nuts for cockpit or desk clamp mounting.

Various holes for mounting to a cockpit or desk

While looking very sturdy and well put together, I did note that the unit I received did have a slight panel misalignment issue on the back left corner where the horizontal mating of the middle and bottom sections made contact. Not a big deal and not really visible unless you’re going over the base closely.

Enough of a gap to catch your finger

With peak torque of 12Nm rivaling some sim racing wheels, it’s no surprise that in keeping with appearances, the power brick that comes with the base is also a serious piece of kit. Coving a range of input voltages from 110-240volts it outputs 36v, 6amps and 216watts of power. Plastic construction with a MOZA night light, I found it gave out very little heat and appeared up to the task during hours of testing.

Additionally, while you could simply plonk this down on your desk and have your arm raised above your shoulders to fly, a more sensible option would be a mounting clamp, and it just so happens one of those is offered and can be purchased separately.

Everything needed to mount in various configurations

Allowing for multiple options for mounting, if you’re going to be desk-bound, I highly suggest purchasing the MOZA Flight Base Clamp to help you find a more comfortable setup. Made from 5mm thick steel, it does a great job of holding the base once clamped to a table. Allowing for either a secured top mount or side mount.

Fitting up to 70mm thick desk and with clamps that completely wind in allowing you to secure to the thinnest of tables (I wouldn’t suggest a glass tabletop), the base and my desk had become one with no movement at all and I think it’s a great option to secure the base to your desk.

Using the two rails on the rear of the base, you can attach the included T-nuts and bolts to the clamp. Simply slide the clamp into position along the rails and tighten the bolts to securely fasten it to the base.

A serious brace for a seriously heavy base

Desk mounting comes in 3 flavors.

1. Plonking it down on the desk and have it sit there while you destroy your arm trying to reach up at it
2. Using the table clamp to mount it so it sits on top of the desk or
3. Using the table clamp to mount it off the desk allowing for you to drop it down for a more comfortable fit (my preferred way of using this device).

Options 1 and 2 result in a similar issue of trying to be comfortable while using the stick, given the height of the base, stick and potentially the additional Z-Axis option, it sits far too high above the desk for everyday use in this configuration.

Option 2 for mounting secures the base to the clamp and clamp to desk

In this 2nd configuration, the back of the AB9 (where you plug the device in) sits raised off the desk and wobbles when pulling the stick forward and aft given the back of the device sits approx. 5mm off the desk.

Option 3 provides a great secure fit for the base to the desk and as mentioned earlier does a great job of transferring those vibrations to your desk as the base, clamp and desk become one.

Option 3, sitting off the desk

This option provides the best comfort and allows you to drop or raise the device through approx. 15cm of vertical movement. This vertical adjustment becomes really important if you also purchase the Z-Axis rotary extension as seen below.

Soaking up all that extra height by the addition of the Z-Axis addon, Base lowered to its lowest position.

By loosening off the T-Nuts and allowing the base to slowly drop, I was able to lower the base enough to absorb most of the additional height added by the Z-Axis addon. Despite the base being at its lowest position on the clamp, there was still very little movement or flex between base, clamp and table. Note the Z-Axis module will be covered in a separate review.

Flight Stick Compatibility

MOZA State that the following sticks are also compatible:

  • F-16C Viper HOTAS Add-On Grip
  • F/A-18C Hornet HOTAS Add-On Grip
  • Constellation ALPHA and Constellation ALPHA Prime
  • T-50CM2 Grip
  • WINWING’s 18 and 16EX Metal Joystick although these do require an extra adapter purchased separately through MOZA

As I only had the Thrustmaster F/A-18C Hornet HOTAS Add-On Grip available at the time of review, I can confirm that this is compatible and worked fine.

Manual

A black and white manual is included with the base that contains the basics of getting up and running in multiple languages. The same manual is available on their website in colour found on the AB9 Product page. Interestingly, the Base and sticks get manuals whereas the Z-Axis addon does not, it is printing on the backside of the box.

AB9 Base on the left, manual printed on the box for the Z-Axis on the right

Setup and Configuration

Setup was a simple case of once everything was unboxed and plugged in, heading over to the MOZA website > Support > Download Centre > scrolled all the way down to flight and downloaded the MOZA Cockpit software.

As this is my first bit of MOZA kit, I was unaware of what to expect from the software. Interestingly I noted that while the software interface for installation is clean and simple to follow, there might be one or two handovers from where MOZA has primarily played in the past.

iRacing license acceptance for flight sim? I guess I could try driving with this base? Or at least use it as a gear shifter?

Once installed I was pleased to find a pleasant interface with big clear directions on where things live. Clearly future proofing the application was in mind with not only the base and stick shown, but also unreleased products in both the rudder pedals and throttles to come.

Main welcome screen showing devices connected and compatible sims on the right

Once the application was running, I was greeted by a friendly message informing me that my firmware was out of date and needed an update. This is a familiar scenario with hardware from other brands, so I gladly clicked “OK.” The process opened another application that presented various firmware versions to choose from—a feature I appreciated, as it allows you to revert or select a specific version if needed. I chose the latest version and completed the firmware update process without any issues. Interestingly throughout the several weeks of this review, 3 Firmware versions have been released. 

Straight forward, easy firmware update

Taking a deeper look into the software, it quickly becomes clear that there are a lot of configurable options across the product range. For this review, we will focus on the AB9 base configurations and cover stick specific settings in those respective reviews.

The main entry screen contains an overview of what is installed and the supported simulators on the right side. Its here that simulations that require additional configuration such as plugins and script to export telemetry data are also configured. While for Flight Simulator, DCS was as simple as locating the main directories, X-Plane 11/12 plugin was not available at the time of this review. I was also unable to test both Star Citizen and IL-2.

Main welcome screen showing devices connected and compatible sims on the right

Clicking on a simulator opens a configuration panel that asks for the installation paths. For DCS and X-Plane, this is where telemetry and plugin settings are configured.

Initially, I found this setup box a bit confusing. For Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, I assumed I needed to manually set the path for each line. However, simply providing the game’s installation path at the top automatically filled in the rest.

The X-Plane 12 configuration was similar, requiring only the location of the X-Plane12.exe file to install the plugin. Unfortunately, the plugin was not available at the time of this review.

Clicking on the picture of the AB9 Base in the software takes you to base configuration page with a plethora of options available. It is here that you can set up presets for the respective simulators, configure basic settings, calibration, force feedback modes followed by deep diving more complex settings in the Telemetry FFB, Axis Travel and Force tabs.

A well-organised screen tackles several global settings, including a live input and torque generation display. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how useful that feature is but still, it’s definitely nice to have.

The base comes with 3 force feedback modes available. The first Direct mode allows for the simulator to talk and send feedback information direct to the base while Telemetry FFB looks for game telemetry data being exported to generate force effects. Finally, Integrated FFB uses both direct and telemetry effects to actively provide feedback to the base.

Presets are simply added by selecting the respective Simulator and a preset name. Presets can then be exported or imported allowing for preset backups in the event of a computer failure.

Moving through the tabs, Expert settings takes you to the centering options. Here you can configure a Deadzone to your liking. I found this was useful primarily in my motion cockpit during turbulence as slight stick movement wouldn’t turn off the autopilot. Desk mounted I found the deadzone could be much smaller.

A feature I am fond of is the ability to either link or unlink the deadzone, by unlinking these you can set a different deadzone depending on the axis.

Moving to the Telemetry FFB tab, things definitely get spicier. Here you have a multitude of options to introduce bumps, thumps, bangs and bongs to not only your base, but also your desk. Broken up across multiple groups you find options for GA, Propeller, Jet and Helicopter specific options.

Great to also see helicopters represented here with some important effects modelled such as ETL (The effect on the helicopter moving forward out of the disrupted air caused by its down wash and into smooth air as the helicopter moves forward) and Vortex Ring State, let’s just call that one a bad day in the office.

Heading to the Axis Travel Tab you’re presented with various options on adjusting the travel and amount of travel across each of the 3 axis. If the Z-Axis addon is used, this is also available here to be adjusted. As I do with all my sticks, I have added a curve that allows for shallowing inputs initially and ramps up as you reach the max deflection on each axis. Quite a handy tool for things like the Z-Axis that are often used for rudder or nosewheel steering in simulators. I like that it’s well thought out with the inclusion of preset options down the side of each axis, nice touch.

Second to last, we find the Axis Force tab. With the global spring setting slider enabled, here is where you would adjust the force required to move the stick from the centre position. Maxing these settings out results in an impressive amount of force required to move the stick.

Finally, we arrive at the Special Tab, where you can configure advanced features like the hardware trim mode. This mode allows you to use the trim switch on your joystick to physically adjust the stick’s neutral position by subtly moving it forward or backward. This provides a realistic hardware-based trim feature, particularly useful for aircraft that might not have an in-game trim system. It’s a neat addition that adds a layer of immersion and functionality for more nuanced flight control.

The software is impressively comprehensive, packing in a ton of customization options for feedback and configuration. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of joystick tuning—whatever you need, it’s got you covered.

Whether you’re aiming for the silky-smooth handling of a commercial jet or dialing it down to feel like a flying lawnmower, this software lets you tweak to your heart’s content. The sheer level of control and flexibility is a standout feature—perfect for pilots who like their planes (and their joysticks) just so.

In DCS and X-Plane, the AB9 base strutted its stuff perfectly, showing up by name for axis and button assignments. However, over in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, it seems the joystick has gone undercover—no name, just a blank space. After chatting with MOZA, they confirmed it’s a known issue and assured me they’re on the case.

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher but not a dealbreaker—just click the mysterious blank space when assigning axes, and you’re good to go. From what I can tell, there are two of these stealthy blanks: one for the base (axis assignments) and one for whatever stick you’ve plugged in (button assignments). It’s like playing a very niche game of “guess who” with your peripherals.

How does it feel?

Having been provided with both the MOZA MA3X and MH16 sticks, I spread my flying mostly over Flight Simulator 2020, 2024 and Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) tackling a range of aircraft from bug smashes such as the fantastic A2A Comanche, default Cessna 172 through to the Fenix Airbus series. Taking to the virtual battlefield, I flew several sorties in both the Apache AH64, Spitfire and FA18 hornet.

Pleasantly, I was surprised to find that when it came to DCS, several presets were ready and waiting to select from. Covering many of the most popular modules in DCS, it was fantastic to have a solid starting point to build a profile from—or to simply use the provided one straight out of the box. The convenience of having these presets made setup much smoother and saved time tweaking controls.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that a few profiles were also available for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

Stepping into DCS, I jumped straight into the cockpit of the legendary Spitfire, parked on an airfield under assault by a squadron of German Fw 190s. The air was thick with chaos—machine gun fire, explosions, and the distant roar of engines. With little time to lose, I quickly selected the Spitfire Mk.IX profile from the AB9’s presets and dove back into the game.

The moment I came back to DCS, the AB9 base roared alive, and I mean really alive. Every vibration, rumble, and shake was transmitted through the stick. The tremble of the Merlin engine roaring to life felt almost tangible, and as I pushed the throttle forward, the subtle feedback captured the uneven bumps of the airfield. When I taxied to the runway, the base translated each imperfection in the ground into an immersive tactile experience, making me feel like I was truly there, bracing for takeoff.

Beginning my takeoff role I noted how sloppy the controls felt, no centering here, as my airspeed grew I felt the flight controls become rigid and neutral and as I left the field, raised the gear I felt a slight vibration and clunk giving me tactile feedback that the gear was raised and it was time to die, I mean shoot enemy aircraft down.

What followed next was hours of pure, unadulterated fun—full of break turns, barrel rolls, and Split-Ses that would make even the most seasoned ace grin. Once airborne in these sorts of aircraft I rarely glance at the airspeed gauge. Instead, I rely on my other sensory inputs, the wind whistling around the canopy, the engine’s pitch, and the aircraft’s attitude. But now, there’s a whole new sensory input in play: feeling the aircraft through the stick.

Throughout the engagements I really liked the feel as the controls starting to lose their sharpness and get a little sloppy when slowing down, it felt like the plane whispering “take it easy, I’m about to break” so further yanking back because I’d overshot my target, feeling the aircraft straining followed by shaking, a wing drop and spiraling to my death, all left me with a grin on my face.

That grin quickly turned into a full-on smile the first time I squeezed the trigger—not just hearing but feeling those machine guns roar, shaking the stick like it owed me money. And then… I missed. Every. Single. Shot. Nothing but sky got strafed that day, and let me tell you, the clouds didn’t stand a chance.

Switching focus to the AH-64 Apache Helicopter, I had to create my first custom profile since the default MOZA profiles didn’t include one for the Apache. While I noticed a Mi-24P profile was available, I decided to start from scratch. To tailor the setup for helicopter handling, I disabled the spring-centering options, increased the damping, friction, and inertia, and activated helicopter-specific effects such as engine rumble, ETL (Effective Translational Lift), and vortex effects.

Starting up the Apache and feeling the stick gradually come to life with a subtle vibration was an incredibly immersive experience, much like flying the Spitfire. During takeoff, as I passed through the ETL (Effective Translational Lift) effect, the stick gave a slight “jiggle,” perfectly capturing the transition from turbulent, dirty air to smooth airflow enroute to the battlefield. It was then I remembered: with no spring settings active, the stick stayed exactly where I left it. While I appreciated the absence of a spring return for a more realistic helicopter feel, even with the damping and friction sliders maxed out, I found myself wishing for more resistance—perhaps a “200%” option to add more firmness when moving the stick.

That’s also when it hit me: switching between aircraft and helicopters—something that would usually require physical adjustments to cams and springs on other bases—could be done here with just a few clicks in the software. For someone like me, who often flies multiple aircraft types in a single DCS session, this level of software-driven flexibility is invaluable. No dismantling, no hardware changes—just seamless transitions to keep enjoying the battlefield.

Moving away now from things that can shoot you down, I stepped into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024. Switching out of the MH16 for the MA3X stick, I calmed down and got ready for several flights spanning the country in both small bug smashers to jet airliners.

The MOZA software came with a preset for the Cessna 172, so I loaded up the default Asobo C172 and departed sunny Gold Coast, heading north along the VFR traffic lanes to soak in the stunning sights of Southeast Queensland. My scenic journey took me past the eastern side of South Stradbroke, up to Moreton Island, then westward back to the mainland before continuing north to Hervey Bay.

As the sim loaded, I was greeted by the familiar sight of the elevator droop, faithfully represented on the stick. When the Cessna’s Lycoming engine sputtered to life, the stick delivered a convincing rumble, perfectly capturing that rough idle at 600 RPM. A quick throttle adjustment to 1000 RPM and a lean of the mixture smoothed things out, and I could feel the difference immediately as the stick’s vibrations settled into a gentler, more refined hum. It’s not every day your joystick doubles as a diagnostic tool!

In a similar story to that of the Spitfire, nice easy to move controls greeted me on the ground but once airborne firmed up as I expected. Feeling additional effects such as the flap motor, ground effects were also a nice touch throughout the flight. I found very little need to change the default profile and it should be a great place to start for anyone using this base with a light aircraft.

Diving into the fantastic Fenix Airbus series, I decided to craft my own custom preset, drawing on my experience in real Airbus motion simulators. The real Airbus side stick is a unique beast—heavily damped, rock-solid, and completely silent about what the aircraft is up to, thanks to its fly-by-wire wizardry.

With a bit of elbow grease and some sage advice from the ever-helpful MOZA Discord community, I managed to fine-tune a setup that feels eerily close to the real Airbus stick—at least, as close as virtual aviation allows. Flying with a side stick that mimics the magic of mechanical linkage beneath your hand is an immersive joyride. This setup breathed new life into my Airbus adventures, and I happily spent countless hours zigzagging across this beautiful country of ours in MSFS.

A quick note about X-Plane 11 and 12: Unfortunately, Direct and Telemetry feedback are not supported at this time. This means I couldn’t get any feedback on the stick during the flight. However, most other adjustments, such as travel and force modifications, work seamlessly and can be used without any issues.

Conclusion

The MOZA AB9 Base is an impressive piece of flight simulation hardware that can bring a remarkable level of realism to virtual aviation. Strong construction, good torque output and comprehensive software make it a versatile option covering a wide range of aircraft from props to jets and helicopters. Whether you’re a casual simmer or a dedicated enthusiast, the AB9 Base offers a significant step toward recreating the thrill of flight from the comfort of your setup whether it be at your desk or home cockpit installation.

A great entry into the market 8/10.


Pros

  • Software, great options to adjust and configure to your liking or the aircraft
  • Ease of use and great compatibility with other flight sticks
  • The haptic sensations offered are exceptional, giving you a real sense of connection to the simulated environment with lifelike vibrations and resistance

Cons

  • It’s big and heavy – desk ergonomics can be challenging
  • Limited simulator telemetry feedback (at time of writing)