Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition: a black sidestick with a red button on a light blue base marked Airbus

Airbus Sidestick Setup at Home: Stick, Throttle Quadrant and What to Add Next

An Airbus sidestick setup at home starts with two pieces: a sidestick and a two-lever throttle quadrant with Airbus-style detents. Add the flaps and speed brake modules, then rudder pedals, and you have the main hand and foot controls of an A320-type flight deck on a desk. Thrustmaster's TCA Airbus Edition range is the Airbus-licensed line built around that sequence, and it comes as single items or packs. This guide explains what each piece does, which version you need for PC or Xbox, and the order to buy in.

Quick Answer

  • Start with: the sidestick and the throttle quadrant. Thrustmaster sells them together as the TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition for PC.
  • Add next: the Quadrant Add-On, which brings flaps, speed brake, landing gear, autobrake, rudder trim and parking brake controls.
  • Then: rudder pedals, because the sidestick's twist axis is a compromise for taxiing and crosswinds.
  • Xbox: you need the Sidestick X version. The original sidestick is listed for PC only.

Why Airbus Aircraft Use a Sidestick

Airbus introduced computer-controlled fly-by-wire flight controls on the A320. In Airbus's own account, the flight control surfaces were no longer mechanically driven, and "in place of the pilot's control column was a simple sidestick control". For a home simulator that means two things. A yoke is the wrong shape for an A320-family flight deck. And the stick sits to the side: Thrustmaster's own setup modes are left-handed for the pilot and right-handed for the copilot. If you are still choosing between control types, our yoke vs joystick vs HOTAS guide covers that decision.

The TCA Airbus Range: What Each Piece Is

Platforms and contents are from Thrustmaster's product pages, checked in October 2026.

Product What it is Platform (Thrustmaster) Needs
TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition Sidestick with twist rudder, built-in throttle and four swappable button modules PC Nothing else
TCA Sidestick X Airbus Edition Redesigned sidestick with an Xbox/PC switch and USB ports for other TCA devices Xbox Series X|S and PC Nothing else
TCA Quadrant Airbus Edition Two thrust levers with detents and two Engine Master switches PC Nothing else on PC
TCA Quadrant Add-On Airbus Edition Two modules: speed brake and flaps, plus gear, autobrake, rudder trim and parking brake controls PC The TCA Quadrant. It works only when connected to it
TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition Sidestick plus Quadrant PC Nothing else
TCA Captain Pack X Airbus Edition Sidestick X, Quadrant and both add-on modules Xbox Series X|S and PC Nothing else

The Sidestick

Thrustmaster describes the sidestick as a 1:1 scale replica inspired by the Airbus sidestick, using contactless Hall-effect sensors with no potentiometers. Three details matter for setup:

  • Left or right hand: the stick is ambidextrous. You swap the button modules and set a selector switch under the base before connecting it. Windows then identifies it as a pilot (left-handed) or copilot (right-handed) device.
  • Rudder: the handle twists for rudder and has a lock button, so you can disable the twist once you add pedals.
  • Throttle: a small throttle in the base includes a thrust reverser function. It lets you fly with the stick alone until you add the quadrant.

The Throttle Quadrant

The quadrant is the part that makes an Airbus feel like an Airbus. Its two thrust levers move through detents that Thrustmaster names Idle, Climb, Flex and TO/GA, with a built-in thrust reverser mechanism. Mechanical selectors let you disable the detents for other aircraft, and two quadrants can be linked for four-engine types. The Add-On modules connect to each side of the quadrant, speed brake on the left and flaps on the right, and Thrustmaster's manual is explicit that they do not work on their own.

What to Add Next: Rudder Pedals and Mounting

Thrustmaster lists its T.Flight Rudder Pedals (TFRP) and Pendular Rudder (TPR) as compatible with the TCA Quadrant. The connection detail is easy to miss: the TFRP's fixed cable plugs into the quadrant's RJ12 port, not into the sidestick, or into a PC USB port using the adapter supplied with the standalone pedals. Our rudder pedals and throttles guide compares pedal types, and you can browse flight pedals.

For mounting, Thrustmaster makes the TM Flying Clamp, which it lists as compatible with the TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition and the TCA Quadrant with its Add-On, for desks 0.6 to 1.8 inches thick. Its compatibility list does not name the Sidestick X, so check before buying a clamp for that version. If you are moving from a desk to a frame, see our home flight sim cockpit build guide.

PC, Xbox and Simulator Support

  • PC: every item in the range is listed for PC. Thrustmaster's product page for the original sidestick names Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, X-Plane 11 and 12, and DCS among compatible PC titles.
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Thrustmaster publishes an MSFS 2024 mapping guide for its flight devices and states that the TCA Captain Pack is fully compatible with the title. Its product page for the standalone sidestick has not been updated to name MSFS 2024.
  • Xbox: the Sidestick X and the Captain Pack X are officially licensed for Xbox Series X|S. Thrustmaster's pages are inconsistent about Xbox One, so we have not listed it.

One PC limit applies to the Sidestick X: Thrustmaster says it supports only one peripheral on its USB ports when used on a PC, either the quadrant or the TPR rudder. On PC, connect the quadrant directly to the computer. For control choices tied to a specific simulator, see our MSFS 2024 flight controls guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Thrustmaster Airbus sidestick left- or right-handed?

Both. Thrustmaster describes it as fully ambidextrous. You change the button modules and a selector switch under the base to set it up for the left hand, as a captain would use it, or the right.

Do I need the throttle quadrant, or is the sidestick enough?

The sidestick has a small throttle with a reverser function in its base, so it works alone. The quadrant adds two separate thrust levers with Airbus-style detents, which is the main reason to buy it for airliner flying.

Does the TCA Quadrant Add-On work without the quadrant?

No. Thrustmaster states that you must own a TCA Quadrant Airbus Edition and that the modules only work when connected to it.

Can I use the Airbus sidestick on Xbox?

Only the X version. The TCA Sidestick X Airbus Edition is officially licensed for Xbox Series X|S and compatible with PC. The original TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition is listed for PC only.

Build It in Stages

Choose the PC or Xbox version first, start with the stick and quadrant, then add the modules and pedals.

Shop Flight Sticks Shop Throttle Quadrants

Sources

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