Assign a TOGA button in FSX or FSX: Steam Edition with FSUIPC4, choose the correct event, and fix add-on aircraft that ignore it.
In FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, open FSUIPC4 from the Add-ons menu, detect the button under Buttons + Switches, select FS control, and assign AUTO_THROTTLE_TO_GA to the press action. Leave release unassigned. Add-on aircraft may require their own custom event instead.
Assign the TOGA button in FSUIPC4
For the standard FSX event, configure the button as a momentary press with no release command. Load the aircraft before making the assignment so you can place it in the appropriate FSUIPC profile.
If FSUIPC is missing from the Add-ons menu, follow our instructions for installing the FSX-compatible FSUIPC4 module. Button programming is one of FSUIPC4’s registered user facilities, so an unregistered installation may not expose the required assignment options.
- Load the intended aircraft. If the TOGA switch should work only in airliners, enable Profile specific and use or create the appropriate profile. Leave it global only if the same button should issue TOGA in every aircraft.
- Open FSUIPC4. In FSX, choose Add-ons, open FSUIPC, then select the Buttons + Switches tab.
- Press the hardware button. The joystick and button fields should change to show the detected input. If they do not, FSUIPC is not receiving that button.
- Select the FS control option. Under the action sent when the button is pressed, choose the entry labelled Autothrottle TO GA or Autothrottle TOGA. Its FSX event name is
AUTO_THROTTLE_TO_GA. - Leave the parameter at its default. A value of
0is normally correct for this event unless the aircraft developer explicitly specifies something else. - Do not assign a release action. TOGA is a momentary command. Sending it again when the button is released can cause a double trigger.
- Remove duplicate FSX bindings. Check FSX’s Controls settings and clear any unrelated command assigned to the same physical button, then save the FSUIPC assignment and test it.
Our broader guide to FSUIPC profiles and duplicate-control prevention covers the surrounding setup without repeating the TOGA-specific configuration.
Which FSUIPC control should I use for TOGA?
Choose AUTO_THROTTLE_TO_GA when the aircraft accepts standard FSX autopilot events. Do not substitute a full-throttle command unless all you want is maximum manual thrust.
| Assignment | Use it when | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
AUTO_THROTTLE_TO_GA | The default aircraft or add-on accepts standard FSX events | Requests the aircraft’s take-off or go-around mode |
| Aircraft-specific event or keypress | The add-on uses custom systems | Operates TOGA through the method documented for that aircraft |
| Full-throttle command | You only need maximum manual thrust in a simple aircraft | Moves or commands the throttle but does not engage a genuine TOGA mode |
A TOGA event is not just another way to send the throttles to maximum. It asks the aircraft’s automation to enter take-off or go-around mode, with the resulting thrust and guidance determined by that aircraft’s systems.
Why does my FSUIPC TOGA button do nothing?
If FSUIPC detects the button but the aircraft does not react, the usual cause is aircraft logic rather than the joystick. Check these points in order:
- The autothrottle is not armed. Many aircraft will ignore TOGA until their autothrottle and related systems are configured for take-off or a go-around.
- The wrong FSUIPC profile is active. A profile-specific assignment applies only to aircraft associated with that profile.
- The add-on rejects standard FSX events. Complex aircraft often use custom controls, local variables or gauge logic instead of
AUTO_THROTTLE_TO_GA. - The button is assigned twice. An FSX binding, another utility or a release action can send a second command and produce erratic behaviour.
- The throttle axis overrides the mode. A noisy or moving hardware throttle can immediately replace the commanded thrust in aircraft that monitor manual lever input.
If the aircraft developer provides a TOGA keyboard shortcut, return to Buttons + Switches and assign that shortcut as a keypress instead of sending the generic FS control. Use custom events or mouse macros only when the aircraft’s documentation identifies them; a macro that works with one panel is not a universal TOGA command.
How can I tell whether TOGA worked?
A successful TOGA command changes the aircraft’s mode annunciation and commands the expected take-off or go-around thrust. The virtual throttle levers do not necessarily move, particularly in add-ons that separate commanded thrust from lever animation.
Arm and configure the aircraft’s automation, press the assigned button once, then watch the flight-mode annunciator, thrust indication and engine response. If FSUIPC displays the correct joystick and button numbers but none of those indications change, use the aircraft’s documented custom TOGA method rather than repeatedly assigning generic throttle commands.