How do I set up Thrustmaster TCA Airbus reverse thrust in MSFS 2024 and 2020?

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, set the two TCA Airbus levers as separate engine throttle axes, then use one of two methods: bind each detected reverse-gate input to Hold Throttle Reverse Thrust, or calibrate reverse on the full axis in the aircraft tablet. Never enable both methods in the same profile.

Choose the right reverse-thrust method first

Use hold reverse for general compatibility, but use a calibrated full-axis reverse range when the aircraft provides its own throttle calibration.

The full-axis method usually gives the best result in a detailed A320 that has its own calibration page. For stock aircraft and aircraft without that feature, separate throttle axes plus hold reverse are easier to configure and less likely to conflict.

Avoid using Decrease Throttle as the first solution. It is a legacy workaround that can fight the main throttle axis and produce unpredictable reverse power.

How to set up TCA Airbus reverse thrust step by step

The reliable setup uses one axis per engine, one reverse method and a dedicated aircraft profile.

1. Select the TCA quadrant. Open the MSFS control settings and make sure you are editing the throttle quadrant, not the TCA sidestick, keyboard or another controller. Create a separate airliner profile rather than altering a general-purpose preset.
2. Remove conflicting assignments. Search for throttle and reverse while displaying all assigned controls. Remove an unwanted combined Throttle Axis, duplicate engine axes, toggle-reverse commands and old decrease-throttle bindings.
3. Bind each main lever. Assign the left lever to Throttle 1 Axis and the right lever to Throttle 2 Axis. Use the 0 to 100% variants instead when the aircraft's own instructions or calibration page requires them.
4. Check the direction. Push each hardware lever forwards and confirm that only the corresponding cockpit lever moves towards higher thrust. Invert that axis if the movement is backwards.
5. Configure hold reverse if using the general method. Place a lever at idle, lift its reverse latch and pull it through the gate while using input scanning. Assign the detected input to the matching engine-specific Hold Throttle Reverse Thrust command when one is available. Repeat for the other engine.
6. Use the combined hold command only when necessary. If MSFS exposes only an all-engine hold command, use that instead and test both gates carefully. Separate engine commands are preferable because they preserve correct left and right operation.
7. Calibrate instead if reverse is on the full axis. Remove all reverse-button bindings, open the aircraft's throttle calibration page and record every requested position or range. These commonly include maximum reverse, reverse idle, idle, CL, FLX/MCT and TOGA.
8. Stabilise idle. Both cockpit levers must reach a steady IDLE position before reverse can engage. If they flicker above idle, widen the aircraft's calibrated idle range or apply only a small dead zone where appropriate.
9. Save and activate the profile. Confirm that the profile you edited is the one loaded for the aircraft. Editing one profile and flying with another is a common reason a correct binding appears to do nothing.
10. Test on the ground. With the aircraft stationary, brakes held and engines running, move both levers to idle before entering reverse. Check the cockpit reverse indication and confirm that reverse cancels when the levers return to idle.

If the fixed Airbus detents do not match the cockpit positions, follow our detailed procedure for calibrating the TCA idle, reverse and thrust detents. Binding the axes alone does not align CL, FLX/MCT and TOGA in aircraft that use their own calibration system.

Does Reverse Axis enable reverse thrust?

Reverse Axis normally means invert the electrical direction of an axis; it does not activate the engine thrust reversers.

Use that setting only when pushing the physical lever forwards moves the cockpit lever backwards. Actual reverse thrust still requires a hold or toggle command, or an aircraft-calibrated reverse section on the main axis.

Why does reverse not work even after it is bound?

If TCA Airbus reverse thrust does not work, the usual causes are an unstable idle position, a duplicate assignment, the wrong profile or a reverse gate that MSFS has not detected.

• No gate input is detected: select the quadrant and scan again while lifting the latch and pulling the lever completely behind idle. If the input is absent from both MSFS and the operating system's controller test on PC, reconnect the quadrant and confirm that its buttons and axes are recognised before changing more bindings.
• The cockpit lever never reaches IDLE: recalibrate the idle range and check for another throttle axis on the sidestick, keyboard, gamepad or quadrant. Many transport aircraft will not deploy reverse while forward thrust is still commanded.
• Reverse stays engaged: remove Toggle Throttle Reverse Thrust and any second reverse binding. A hold command should release with the gate, while a calibrated full axis should leave reverse as it crosses into idle.
• One lever controls both engines: remove the combined throttle axis. Keep only the engine 1 and engine 2 axes for a twin-engine A320 profile.
• Only one engine reverses: check that both gate inputs are assigned and that the left and right reverse commands have not been crossed. Also confirm that both engines are running and available.
• Reverse jumps straight to maximum: the aircraft may not support proportional reverse with the chosen method. Use its full-axis calibration when available; otherwise the hold command may provide more limited modulation.
• It works in one aircraft but not another: the second aircraft probably expects a different axis variant or its own calibration. Keep separate profiles rather than forcing one configuration across every jet.
• The controls move without your input: another device has a duplicate axis or reverse assignment. Check every connected controller, not just the quadrant.

If reverse is still not working, create a temporary clean profile containing only the two engine axes and one chosen reverse method. A successful test with that profile proves that the original profile contains a conflict. Our TCA input troubleshooting checklist covers missing axes, crossed engines and hardware detection faults in more detail.

Does the setup differ between MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020?

The reverse-thrust principle is the same in MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020, although the control screens, default presets and presentation of command names differ.

• MSFS 2024: create or duplicate a dedicated quadrant profile, expose all assignments when searching, and do not assume an automatically created preset is free from combined-axis conflicts. Our complete MSFS 2024 TCA profile setup covers the surrounding sidestick, throttle and detent assignments.
• MSFS 2020: select the quadrant from the row of connected devices, change the assignment filter when necessary and check every device for old throttle bindings. See our MSFS 2020 Thrustmaster Airbus configuration for the version-specific profile workflow.

Do not copy sensitivity values or reverse bindings blindly between the simulators. Recheck axis direction, idle and the active aircraft profile after recreating or importing any control setup.

Does this work with the TCA Captain Pack and the A320?

Yes. The TCA Captain Pack uses the same quadrant reverse-thrust principles; the reverse setup belongs to the throttle quadrant rather than the sidestick.

For an A320 with an EFB or tablet throttle-calibration page, use its supported full-axis method and calibrate all requested detents. For an A320 without aircraft-specific calibration, use separate engine axes and hold reverse. The physical TCA detents will not automatically match the simulated detents merely because an Airbus-labelled preset is selected.

What should a correct reverse-thrust test look like?

A correct setup reaches stable idle first, shows reverse deployment only on the ground and returns cleanly to idle when the TCA levers leave the reverse range.

During a stationary test with the brakes held, each lever should operate its matching engine. With hold reverse, the reversers should cancel when the gate input releases. With full-axis calibration, reverse power should vary within the calibrated reverse range and return to reverse idle, then normal idle, without jumping into forward thrust.