So, after spending four hours trying to get the ‘ghost throttle’ issue sorted out with my Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog throttle and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, I have finally identified the issue and sorted it out.
This is a Microsoft / Asobo issue and is not an issue with the Thrustmaster Throttle. Having said that, I suspect that other MSFS users using different throttles, could also experience similar issues.
The issue is caused by a setting, deep inside Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, that provides ‘Take-off Assistance’. When this option is set (which it is by default since the update back in Mid 2021) the simulator tries to override the users throttle and some joystick movements on take-off. This forces the flight simulator to take 2 sets of input signals for the throttle.
The first signal comes from the physical throttle movement from the Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog throttle and the second signal (the one that causes the erratic behaviour) comes from the simulator itself as it tries to override the users physical throttle settings.
The fix is really easy.
Within MSFS, navigate to OPTIONS / ASSISTANCE OPTIONS / PILOTING
Turn off ‘Assisted Takeoff’
Click ‘Apply and Save’ or F11 to save your new settings
And that is it. Everything works perfectly once this change is made.
Microsoft / Asobo either can’t or won’t acknowledge this as a serious issue but at least there is now a fully working solution to this awful controller issue.
Hopefully, this message will assist others who are having the same issues that I have experienced and, for goodness sake Microsoft, set this flag back to off on the next update and document it so that others can make a value judgement on whether or not this option is useful to them or, as in my case, a massive overhead.
Thank you so much for this. I guess it reinforces the importance of surfing all of the menu options in the software. This was driving me crazy for a while.
Hi Tooms, You are very welcome. I always check the default settings now after every Microsoft / Asobo update just to make sure everything remains OK. And the good news is that I haven’t had any more problems with any of my aircraft since I turned off ‘Assisted Takeoff’. All the best, Ed
I recently purchased a Carenado Piper Archer II and it was essentially unflyable. The throttle was doing its own thing even in the take-off roll and if I managed to get airborne, I couldn’t set the elevator trim properly. Whatever I did was overridden.
I was mortified because in most other respects I loved the aircraft, not least because it is remarkably similar to the Archer I did most of my PPL training in. Even down to the external livery!
I switched off all the AI options affecting the control surfaces and all is wonderful.
Absolutely no problem. You are very welcome. It’s great to hear that you have benefitted from the fix. Just happy to help.
I had - had the issue with my throttle control for months on end. I had tried everything and actually changed the throttle as I thought it was faulty. The problem persisted even with the change of hardware and that meant it had to be something with the FS2020 settings. It took a few hours of resetting default settings until I switched all of the AI settings off and suddenly everything worked as it should. I went through the AI settings setting them back on one at a time until I found the setting that was causing the issue.
After that, I contacted Microsoft again and explained that I had identified the cause and how to overcome it and nothing happened. I watched 2 upgrades of FS2020 go through and the AI settings remained as they were so, on the basis that I thought this could affect others, I posted the fix on this forum.
I’m still hoping that Microsoft / Asobo will sort the issue out properly and issue a bug fix but so far that hasn’t happened.
The good news is the fix is still here for all to see and I’m really pleased that it helped you.
I tried this, never had any of that turned on but im getting the odd throttle behavior now out of know where. FSUPIC wont work, throttle wise and changing the settings in the game doesn’t work. the throttles just dance around and don’t work at all now. Using the Thrustmaster Warthog as well. This just happened over the last few days I guess. I’ve tried everything and nothing works. I’ve tried in the F18 as well the the PMDG 737. Out of ideas and just upset that I can no longer fly in this game
Hi there
That sounds like exactly how my problem with the Thrustmaster Throttle started. I was getting really eratic behavior with the throttle. As I opened the Warthog throttle physically, the screen showed the throttle moving all over the place and ditto the joystick. I finally tracked my problem down to the assisted settings. I had applied a mandatory Asobo update and this set the assisted settings to on. This conflicted with the Thrustmaster Wathog Throttle and Joystick. The fix that worked for me was:
Within MSFS, navigate to OPTIONS / ASSISTANCE OPTIONS / PILOTING
Turn off ‘Assisted Takeoff’
Click ‘Apply and Save’ or F11 to save your new settings
Do make sure you check these settings as they were the cause of all my issues. Even if your settings ar unset, I would be incluned to set the assited settings on, apply and save the new settings, exit FS2020 normally, then go back in and reset teh assisted settings to off, then apply and save again. Then exit FS2020 and reboot your PC and then start your PC and go back in to FS2020 and try a take off and see how things go. I’ll keepp my fingers crossed that all works out well for you.
Hi there, sorry this reply is late, we have just returned from Greece. That’s great news. I’m so pleased everything is now working well for you. Best wishes and happy flight simming, Ed
Hi there, you are very welcome. Yes, I completely agree. It took days to identify that it was actually Microsoft / Asobo that was at fault and, months on, they still haven’t corrected the problem. Hopefully, leaving the solution here will help others flight simmers with the same problem, all the besy, Ed
Thank you for this. I’m having the same problem as everyone else, using the Logitech throttle. I changed the setting and took off and I thought everything was great but once I get up in the air the throttle stops responding. The only way to land is to get lined up on the runway and turn the engine off. I noticed in the assistance there is a yoke assistance, a rudder assistant, but no throttle assistance. Why would that be?
I’m really sorry to hear that you are still having issues. I can confirm that my Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Joystick, Throttle and Rudder Pedals are all now (thankfully) working correctly.
Have you tried recalibrating your peripherals within windows itself. To do this, click ‘search’ and type in ‘usb’ then select ‘Setup USB Game Controllers’. This opens the windows ‘Game Controllers’ dialogue box. Then, for each of your active controllers, its ‘Properties’, ‘Settings’ and finally ‘Calibrate’ and follow the calibration prompts to re-calibrate each controller. Don’t forget to apply the changes you make to each controller. Hopefully, that will do the trick and you should be fine again.
If not, the only other suggestion that I can offer is to set all of the ‘Assisted’ options off.
Within MSFS, navigate to OPTIONS / ASSISTANCE OPTIONS /
Turn off all Assisted Options’
Click ‘Apply and Save’ or F11 to save your new settings
If that works, then you could go back in and turn the options back on, one at a time, until you find the assistance option that is actually causing you to have these controller issues.
I will try that when I get home. Also to add, the problem started when I went into “Content Manager” and downloaded all kinds of missing content. I’m very new to this obviously LOL
I played around with some more settings, unmapped any power control settings from the keyboard, and that solved most of my problems. I continue to have the problem with the Cirrus SR22, but further research has determined that that is the way the propeller speed is tied to a constant prop governor and keeps the rpms at 2500 even though the throttle is reduced.
Hello, thank you for the tip, but for some reason it doesn’t work. My thurst master throttel is on idel but in game it’s on 74%. I’ve tryed to callibrate it but it still does not work.
Hi Jacob, I’m sorry to hear that you are still having problems. It sounds like you may have multiple bindings in FS2020 for your throttle. It might be a good idea to run through all of the bindings and make absolutely sure that it is only the throttle quadrant that is boud to your throttle. It may be that FS2020 has bound the throttle and another device (i.e. rudder pedals, joystick etc) and if it has, then any movement will upset your throttle. I really hoper this helps. All the best, Ed
