How do I set up dual throttles for multi-engine aircraft?

Set up dual throttles by binding the left physical throttle lever to Engine 1 Throttle Axis and the right lever to Engine 2 Throttle Axis, then remove every combined or duplicate throttle binding. Calibrate both axes, confirm their direction, and test idle, full power, autothrottle behaviour and reverse thrust in a twin-engine aircraft.

This is a general flight-simulator setup: command names vary, but the principle is the same in Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane and other sims. The controller must expose two independent analogue axes. If a dual control lever is mechanically linked or presented by its firmware as one axis, the simulator cannot separate it unless the hardware has a split or independent mode.

Which dual throttle or multi-engine throttle quadrant setup should I choose?

Choose separate engine axes whenever you have two physical levers and want realistic twin-engine throttle controls.

On a conventional twin, Engine 1 is on the left and Engine 2 is on the right when viewed from the cockpit. Piston aircraft usually call these throttle levers; turbine aircraft often use power-lever or thrust-lever terminology. Our explanation of how throttle-quadrant axes operate engine, propeller, mixture and condition controls covers the distinction between these controls.

How do I map twin-engine throttle controls?

Map each physical lever to an engine-specific analogue axis, not to digital throttle increase and decrease commands.

1. Verify that two axes exist. Open the simulator or hardware input display and move one lever at a time. Each lever should move a different indicator. If both move the same indicator, disable any linked or combined hardware mode first.
2. Create a clean controller profile. An aircraft-specific profile is useful for airliners with detents or add-ons that interpret throttle ranges differently.
3. Clear competing assignments. Remove the combined Throttle Axis binding and inspect every connected yoke, joystick, gamepad and quadrant for duplicate throttle inputs. A mistake we see constantly is clearing the quadrant while leaving a throttle axis active on another controller.
4. Assign the left lever. Bind it to Engine 1 Throttle Axis, Throttle 1 Axis or the equivalent engine-specific command.
5. Assign the right lever. Bind it to the corresponding Engine 2 axis. Do not assign both levers to the general all-engine command.
6. Check direction and range. Advancing either lever must increase power. Use the axis-reverse setting if movement is backwards; that setting reverses the input direction and does not activate reverse thrust.
7. Test without automation. Load a twin with autothrottle, autothrust and throttle-related assistance disabled. Check each lever independently at idle, mid-travel and full power before adding reverse or detents.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, follow our MSFS guidance on combined, per-engine and reverse-thrust assignments. X-Plane users can use the corresponding independent throttle setup for X-Plane 11 and 12.

How do I calibrate PMDG 737 dual throttles in MSFS 2024?

Calibrate the hardware and MSFS 2024 axes first; a PMDG 737 should receive two clean, independent forward-thrust inputs before reverse thrust or autothrottle interaction is configured.

1. Use a dedicated PMDG profile. Clear the combined throttle axis and retain only the Engine 1 and Engine 2 assignments.
2. Choose the correct axis range. The MSFS commands usually labelled Throttle 1 Axis (0 to 100%) and Throttle 2 Axis (0 to 100%) suit forward-only axes with reverse assigned separately. Use a full-range axis only when the hardware supplies an analogue reverse zone and the aircraft handles it correctly.
3. Establish clean endpoints. Begin with linear sensitivity, small or zero dead zones and matching settings on both axes. Confirm that each virtual thrust lever reaches idle and full forward travel without stopping early.
4. Test with autothrottle disengaged. Compare the virtual thrust levers and N1 indications while moving each physical lever independently. Do not diagnose calibration while the autothrottle is commanding thrust.
5. Check autothrottle behaviour last. The virtual 737 thrust levers can move under autothrottle while a non-motorised flight-sim throttle remains stationary. Moving the hardware can then cause a jump or override, depending on the PMDG manual-override setting available in the installed build.

Do not assume that an extra PMDG calibration page is required. First obtain correct movement through MSFS controls; use an aircraft-specific calibration facility only if the installed PMDG version provides one. Menu labels can change between aircraft builds, while the underlying axis method remains the same.

Can I use a TCA Airbus throttle with the PMDG 737?

Yes. A TCA Airbus throttle can control a PMDG 737 because its two main levers are standard analogue axes, but the Airbus detents do not become Boeing detents.

Use a separate 737 profile and treat the lever travel as continuous forward thrust. The physical CL, FLX/MCT and TOGA positions have no operational meaning in the 737. For reverse, inspect the controller input display to determine whether movement below idle is reported as analogue travel or as buttons, then configure one matching reverse method rather than combining both.

How do I set up a VelocityOne dual throttle?

A VelocityOne controller with two assignable power levers is configured by mapping its left and right axes separately to Engine 1 and Engine 2.

VelocityOne models and supplied presets differ, so verify the raw inputs instead of assuming the default profile is correct. If both levers move one on-screen axis, check for a combined preset or linked hardware mode. If two axis indicators move independently but the aircraft throttles do not, the fault is in the simulator profile or aircraft configuration rather than the physical levers.

Why do equal throttle-lever positions produce unequal engine power?

Equal physical lever positions produce matching power only when both axes have comparable endpoints, response curves and dead zones.

• Calibrate the quadrant in its hardware utility or operating-system controller panel, where available, before adjusting it in the simulator.
• Start with identical linear curves. Use only enough idle dead zone to stop jitter; large dead zones waste useful lever travel.
• Compare engine instruments rather than relying solely on cockpit lever animation: N1 for many jets, torque for turboprops and manifold pressure for piston aircraft.
• If one engine reaches full power early, correct that axis endpoint instead of creating a radically different sensitivity curve.
• Calibrate aircraft detents only after the basic idle-to-full range works correctly.

A small split can come from the aircraft's engine simulation rather than the controller. A large, repeatable difference at equal commanded positions usually means unequal calibration, a duplicate input or an aircraft-specific profile problem.

Why does one lever move both throttles?

One lever usually moves both virtual throttles because a combined throttle axis is still active alongside the separate engine assignments.

How should reverse thrust and Airbus-style detents be configured?

Use one reverse-thrust method per engine and calibrate Airbus detents only in aircraft that interpret those detents.

• Analogue reverse range: use this when each lever reports continuous movement below idle and the simulator or aircraft accepts a full-range axis.
• Button-operated reverse: use this when pulling the reverse gate activates a switch. Bind the appropriate hold, toggle or per-engine reverse command while the main axis remains at idle.

Do not confuse the axis-direction option with reverse thrust, and avoid leaving a global reverse command active alongside independent reversers. Test Engine 1 and Engine 2 separately and watch the reverse indication and engine instruments, not just the animated levers.

On an Airbus-style throttle, align the physical idle, CL, FLX/MCT and TOGA positions with the virtual detents through the aircraft's calibration facility when one is provided. A Boeing profile should not be forced to use those Airbus detent positions.

Do I also need propeller, mixture or condition levers?

Dual throttle assignments control engine power only; piston twins and turboprops may need additional propeller, mixture or condition axes.

A full multi-engine throttle quadrant may provide separate controls for each function. With fewer axes, retain independent throttles for differential-power and engine-out practice, then use shared propeller or mixture controls, keyboard commands or cockpit interaction for the remaining functions. Turboprop condition levers should use condition-specific commands where the aircraft implements them rather than being treated automatically as piston-engine mixture controls.