MSFS does not pick up 2nd Airbus TCA Throttle Quadrant

[PorFlyngStew]

Afternoon,

For some reason MSFS does not pick up my second throttle. So, if I had a four engine aircraft I can only throttle two of the engines. I have all my firmware up to date on the controller. When I pull up the Thrustmaster app, the second throttle is there. Its only when I enter into the game where it doesn’t display the throttle. The switch is set 1&2 and 3&4 on the front of the controller. Tried going through the controller settings but I got nothing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[NeoKingRthur]

You plug them into 2 separate USB slots, right?

Just note that the Engine 3&4 mode does not have a default binding and the picture doesn’t appear on the list. But as long as you have a page with that second quadrant in your Control settings, you should be able to Filter the commands to ALL and assign the bindings manually one by one.

[PorFlyngStew]

Yea, I see the page for 3&4, no photo. Yes, they have their own usb port. Normally, you would see a pop up that says do you want to keep default settings. I get that for 1&2. So, I would have to go in and assign each throttle to each button manually then?

[NeoKingRthur]

Yes, you would have to assign them manually. It should work after then. The popup only works if it’s detecting a control that it has the default binding.

Since the Engine 3 & 4 isn’t officially has a default config setup, it’s treating it as an unlisted hardware and you have to set each buttons manually yourself. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it should work after doing a bit of housekeeping on this.

[PorFlyngStew]

I’m gonna try this and I’ll get back to everyone, thanks for the help

[Schiattator0]

Hi, any news from your second throttle?
I have the same problem with the TCA Airbus edition throttle.
Could you explain to me how you solved the problem? if you have solved it of course

[SeehawerBerlin]

Hello,
I’m new here and also have a problem with the second quadrant. I am using 2 quadrants with the quadrant add-on:

The first quadrant for engines 1&2 is OK, everything is fine:
see #1 in pic

The second quadrant is recognized as some unknown device, but seems to work:
see #2 in pic

First issue:
You cannot configure the flaps als Joystick Z-Axis, FS drops an error message:
see #3 in pic

If you try anyway, the lever does not control the flaps, they stick at 50% all the time:
see #4 in pic

Second issue:
If I try to change the sensitivity for the (working) throttle levers, the Neutral value of the L-Axis X (only this one) always sticks at 0% after you leave the setup. Setting to 50% f.i., click on ready, setting still is 0%.
see #5 in pic

This is very annoying.
If I ommit the second quadrant and use only one quadrant with add-on, everything works fine.
All devices are connected to different usb ports, no hub.
All components work well when tested in the TARGET software tools.

Is there a config file anywhere in the file system you may manually tweak?

Thanks
C.

[SeehawerBerlin]

Photo of the setup:

[NeoKingRthur]

Okay, first thing that you need to do is this.
Calibrate the throttle separately with both addons attached. That means:

Do the Factory Calibration process for Engine 1&2 with the Spoilers and Flaps attached to it. See the thrustmaster support page on how to start the calibration process. Just note that it has a missing step in the official instructions for the full reverse detent. So make sure you calibrate it properly:

1. Throttle at TOGA, Spoilers Up, Flaps Up → Press two red buttons.
2. Throttle at FLX/MCT, Spoilers 1, Flaps 1 → Press two red buttons.
3. Throttle at CLB, Spoilers 2, Flaps 2 → Press two red buttons.
4. Throttle at IDLE, Spoilers 3, Flaps 3 → Press two red buttons.
5. Throttle at FULL REVERSE, Spoilers Full, Flaps Full → Press two red buttons.
   Then follow the rest of the instructions given in the thrustmaster calibration guide.

Now, you only have it calibrated for one quadrant. Now detach both the spoilers and flaps Addon from Engine 1&2, and attach both of them to Engine 3&4, make sure the switch is already at Engine 3&4 mode. Then repeat the calibration process above.

This will make each of your quadrants to store the calibration information for each of the addon pieces. Now detach the Spoilers Addon from the Engine 3&4 and attach it back to the Engine 1&2. And connect the whole set into the separate USB port in your PC.

I can’t read German so I don’t know the bindings from your screenshot. But I can say a few things. You have to know that by default, Engine 1&2 will always have all the bindings with both add-on pieces connected to it. So the flaps and spoilers binding will be bound to the Engine 1&2 quadrant, while the Engine 3&4 will not have the binding at all.

So when you connect both quadrants, Make sure you delete all profiles for both quadrants first to bring the Engine 1&2 back to default, and Engine 3&4 to be empty and unbound.

In Engine 1&2, remove the Flaps Axis binding, rudder trim, and rudder trim reset, and the parking brake. While keeping the rest to default. This is to make sure that Engine 1&2 doesn’t give input on the flaps since it doesn’t have the flaps connected to it.

In Engine 3&4, you have to manually bind all the controls to match the Engine 1&2, but uses Engine 3 & 4 instead where applicable. But this time, you also need to bind the Flaps Axis, Rudder Trim, Rudder Trim Reset, and the Parking brake in the Engine 3&4.

Once you do all that, you can do the sensitivity configuration to the one you want, and this should solve all your problems. No more conflicting input from each throttle quadrant.

[SeehawerBerlin]

@Neo4316

Thank you very much for this very detailed answer!
I think the key point was to calibrate quadrant 2 with setting 3&4 with both add on levers connected.
After some fiddling in the settings I now have a working setup. See the attached pic with all settings for stick, both quadrants including add on.
The second problem with the calibration seems to be a bug in FS2020. The Neutral setting cannot be changed initially, but after you move the other sliders the Neutral setting becomes active and can be configured.

I didn’t really expect that I would still get the setup with the 2 quadrants to work.
Thanks a lot!

[NeoKingRthur]

That looks good. But I would expect to see Engine 3 and 4 master switch, start, and fuel valve to be on Quadrant 2 as well.

And since you’re using throttle quadrant. I would also unbound the throttle axis from being bound to the sidestick as well. Again this can cause conflicts because if your sidestick slider is at 0, and your throttle quadrant is pushing to TOGA, the Sidestick slider can override your throttle quadrant, misbehaving your engine controls.

I would unbound the throttle axis from sidestick Slider X, and instead bound it to the Left and Right Brake Axis. That way, you can use the slider to apply brakes in any pressure you want, instead of using Button 7 to apply full brakes.

I also unbound the spoilers axis from the spoiler lever for my setup, because the spoiler axis will prevent the Auto-spoiler from deploying on landing.

[SeehawerBerlin]

Thanks a lot again
Great idea with Joystick Slider as a variable brake pressure.
Now I configured it all as you suggested. Except the Spoilers, I left the lever axis binded. Perhaps after some first flights with the “big birds” I will also go this way.

Much more important: I now have a base setup that works!
Again: I didn’t expect to be able to achieve that! Thanks a lot for your help.

Here is the - now corrected - setup:

[DuctileRogue2]

Eine frage an SeehawerBerlin. Can you tell me if you can still fly the NEO/Twin Jet Engine with your four engine set-up? Do you just ignore engines 3 & 4, or is there something you have to adjust in settings? Any help would be appreciated. I’m trying to decide if I should add another Quadrant now, or wait until the FBW A380 is released. Vielen Dank.

[NeoKingRthur]

Technically you have two options:

Use the same profile but that would mean you would only use the Engine 1&2 throttle. Moving the 3&4 won’t make a difference.

You can create a separate profile which binds Engine 1&2 to throttle 2&3 in the middle and Engine 3&4 to throttle 1 and 4 respectively. That way, you’ll be moving the full left throttle or full right throttle as a separate engine, utilising the entire 4 throttles even though the sim would only use 2 engines.

If you think the stock is pretty low and your local store accepts pre-ordering, I suggest you preorder now so that you have it ready by the time the FBW A380 is released. Otherwise, if your local store has a lot of them in stock and easy to get, might as well just wait. Either way, when you get it you can prepare the setup and try out the best configuration for you. So by the time the A380 is release, you’re ready to go.

[DuctileRogue2]

To Neo4316. Thanks for the quick reply. I think I will order the second Quadrant on Monday from Microsoft. Free two day delivery and free returns. I’ve had a positive experience with them so far. I ordered the Quadrant Add-ons from mypilotstore and once I get the tracking number and I’m convinced nothing can get screwed up I’ll order the Engine 3 & 4 Quadrant. It will look cool at least until I find a 4 engine Airbus to fly. Thanks again for your help.

[PorFlyngStew]

So, quick update, I finally got my second throttle to work correctly. Thanks for the help!

[notchuck6782]

Thanks for all the information in this thread. It has all helped me to get my second throttle quadrant up and running really well. The only things that are not exactly the same are just small personal preference things. Apart from that some excellent information here. By the way thanks for the screenshots of your setup SeehawerBerlin. Very helpful. And to all who contributed.

[FoxHsu]

There is another way to use them. The package came with a metal pin. You can link 1&2, 3&4 as 2 independent throttle, and active one thrust reversal on each side.

[mac2244]

just about to try this calibration - i get you calibrate the flaps and brakes with engines 1+2 and then 3+4 - but once you complete the engine 3+4 calibration are you connecting everything (x4) engines and flaps and brakes all together with the supplied joiners - assume the brakes are joined to engine 1 and the flaps are (“attached”) to engine 4 on other side using the rubber connectors - then are you connecting the combined unit with the x2 usb cables assume directly to the PC rather than via the stick??

[NeoKingRthur]

Well, yeah you have to. It’s still technically 2x hardware that you need to connect. Engine 1+2 will have the spoilers connected. While Engine 3+4 will have the flaps connected. So you will need to be running 2 USB cables to connect directly to the PC.

The joiners for the engine quadrants are just simple joiner to keep them attached to each other, there’s no cable that will be connected between them.

I’m not sure what you mean by via the stick? The stick itself is a separate hardware. So you connect the Stick USB directly to the PC, then you connect the Engine 1+2 with the spoilers addon USB directly to the PC, and you also connect the Engine 3+4 with the flaps addon USB directly to the PC. You can use a powered active USB hub if you want but make sure they’re connected to a faster USB standard to make sure there’s enough bandwidth to process the signals from all the hardware connected to the USB Hub.

Just make sure that once you connected the hardware, that you set up the profiles correctly. The Engine 1+2 will have the flaps bound by default, so you need to remove this, otherwise it will get conflicting input from a nonexisting hardware (since the flaps are in the Engine 3+4 already). Then the Engine 3+4 usually don’t have a default profile, so you’ll need to bound the controls manually and make sure you don’t bind the spoilers in that one as well.