MOZA MA3X Side Stick – DETAILED REVIEW

Unboxing

Unboxing is familiar if you’ve handled other MOZA flight products: a well-presented outer box with clear info, and thick foam protecting the stick in a pouch.

Box Contents:

• MOZA MA3X Sidestick
• Tool bag with 1× hex key
• User Manual

Compared with MOZA’s MH16, the MA3X is lighter (≈220g) and uses different materials, so it lacks that cool-to-the-touch alloy feel. If you’re used to the MH16’s heft, you’ll notice the contrast immediately.

Construction and Materials

The MA3X is constructed from “ultra-rigid” composite materials with a multi-layer spray and UV coating intended to replicate the resin look of real aircraft parts. ALPS switches are used for reliability; some units show a hint of lateral play on a few buttons, but the trigger feels tight with a firm spring and smooth pull-through.

Gloss finish is a fingerprint magnet, but the reproduction is faithful overall.

Real unit has fewer buttons and a grey dust boot; MA3X adds sensible extras.

Setup and Configuration

Power off, remove the old grip, align the 5-pin plug inside the MA3X, seat the grip, tighten the metal ring, then snug the internal lock nut with the supplied hex key. The short internal cable length makes alignment easy without tools.

Easy install: align arrows, slide connector, drop the grip, secure ring & lock nut.

MOZA recommends running Cogging Torque Calibration after fitting a new grip. In the app, select MA3X under “Grip Type”, then click “Start Calibration”.

HAT Switch Modes

1. Button Mode: left/right/up/down + push
2. D-Pad Mode: 8-way (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW)

MOZA’s Airbus A320 profile enables various effects by default (flaps, gear, speedbrake, rumble). I disabled most except Jet Engine rumble and speedbrake buffet, and increased spring, axis travel and force to better match the real aircraft feel.

Default profile with tweaks to bridge the gap between reality and MA3X.

How does it feel?

I miss my left-hand Captain’s stick, but moving back to the right side was a fun change. Mounted to the AB9 base, the MA3X’s lower weight disappears — the base communicates bumps and vibrations well. The extra HAT push and 3-position side rocker are genuinely useful for checklists and tools like FS2Crew.

For realism-focused pilots, some canned effects (flaps/gear buffet) may feel artificial — my motion system (Sigma Integrale DJ2+) already handles that. Where this setup shines is the Airbus-like feel when paired with AB9.

Conclusion

The MOZA MA3X is an excellent choice if you want Airbus stick vibes. Lightweight, authentic layout, and sensible extra inputs make it versatile. Finish/materials won’t wow alloy-lovers, but paired with the AB9 base the experience is convincingly close to the real thing. Setup is quick, HAT modes are flexible, and MOZA’s software lets you dial in feel for different aircraft.

Left-handers will want a Captain’s stick option, but as a right-hand First Officer grip the MA3X is a strong performer and well-priced.

Score: 9/10