Thrustmaster TCA Yoke Pack Boeing Edition - Detailed Review

What is it?

The Thrustmaster TCA Yoke Pack Boeing Edition is a flight control system inspired by the Boeing 787, officially licensed by Boeing. It includes a pendular yoke and a throttle quadrant, designed for a realistic and immersive experience. The full-scale yoke wheel replicates the real aircraft’s controls, while the throttle quadrant features additional levers for speed brakes and flaps, along with an autopilot selector for easy adjustments to speed, heading, and altitude. Compatible with PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Price: 829AUD / 520USD

Unboxing

A well-presented box showing you the fun to be had inside along with key features is a signature hallmark of Thrustmaster products and the TCA Yoke Pack Boeing edition is no different. The large box contains a multitude of information covering features of both the yoke and throttles in multiple languages.

Open the box you are greeted by a colour sheet summarising the key features and what buttons are assigned to what function for Xbox. Here you also get a couple of quick sheets covering basics such as spring adjustment, bracket installation for the throttles and other basic information to get you up and running.

As I dug deeper into the box, I was surprised to find no foam—just environmentally friendly molded pulp and cardboard packaging instead. The boxes for both the throttle and associated bracket sit perched above the main yoke assembly which is wrapped in protective plastic securely nestled in the center.

Once the main box is slipped away, everything comes out of its packaging with ease with every component wrapped in its own plastic wrapping from the yoke to throttles all the way down to the leavers ensuring nothing gets damaged in transit.

Ease of construction was clearly a design principal during the development of this hardware as there is very little to construct and really lives up to the simply plug & play philosophy.

Box Contents:

Manual

While quick sheets containing important information to get you up and running are included, a more in-depth manual is something you will need to go shopping for on the Thrustmaster website. I noted that there are also several guides to assist new players on the setup of control mappings not only across different flight simulators but also across different platforms which is great given not all of them are as intuitive as they should be.

Construction and Materials

Having reviewed several Thrustmaster fighter jet products, I was used to a hefty dose of metal—gear so solid it felt like it could survive a dogfight and still be ready for another round. So, when I unboxed this and saw it was all plastic, my eyebrow did a barrel roll. I couldn’t help but wonder how it would hold up next to its battle-hardened siblings in the AVA and Warthog lineup.

Looking over the Yoke, the first thing I noticed was that it comes completely constructed and does look good. It looks clean, well designed and surprisingly solid. While there is extensive plastic used on the exterior, it boasts an all-metal frame that underpins the high stress parts such as the pendular movement, joints and yoke frame. According to Thrustmaster’s documentation, the metal in these components isn’t just for durability, it also helps balance the yoke as it pivots with the pendular movement.

The Yoke wheel itself is a multipart construction that contains many plastic parts joining together to make up the yoke wheel, I found no sharp edges and all the seams have minimal gaps providing a quality look to the product. While it’s real-world counterpart 787 yoke has a small collection of buttons, Thrustmaster has added considerably more. Essentially a duplication of what is on the left side is also on the right side of the yoke wheel. The exception, the 8-way point of view hat on the left side (where the HUD button would be in the real aircraft) is a mini-stick controller on the right giving additional configurability and quick-snap view changes within the simulator.

There are two PTT (push-to-talk) buttons on the reverse side of the yoke, positioned for easy access with either hand while gripping the vertical arm making it great for left or right handers. These spring-loaded buttons have a satisfying, precise feel with no unwanted play. While they mimic the real aircraft’s placement, the Boeing 787 actually features a three-position switch that functions both as a PTT button and an intercom toggle for pilot communication, such as when wearing oxygen masks. Despite this difference, a single button here is a welcome addition for those wishing to fly online and wanting an authentic PTT button location.

The 5 other bush buttons all feel great and have a very limited sideways sloppiness. Where this changes though is on the 4 trim switches labelled X/Y/A/B. Although not terrible, I noticed a difference in the overall sloppiness of these switches when compared with the rest. There is also a Gear handle albeit small on the frame of the yoke, note this is not a true two position switch but rather an on/off switch. Lastly there are two small axes for a left/right throttle on the base of the Yoke’s frame. Despite being incredibly small, they move without issue and could be used in a pinch if the Yoke was purchased without a throttle.

Shifting our focus further back to the rear panel, here you find various connectors to support things like Thrustmaster rudder pedals through the use of the TFRP connector, a USB-A port allowing for the plugging in of TCA throttles, a USB-C port that takes the whole show to the computer and finally a PC/XBOX switch.

I also noted that down the left side of the main body is a 3.5mm audio jack allowing for the use of headset and mic.

For desk mounting it’s a fairly standard affair here with 2 twist clamps that have cushioned feet and provide space to support clamping to desks from 15mm to 55mm (0.6 – 2.17 inches).

Although an argument could be made that paper approach plates are no longer a thing? Hence the tablet holder they added? Maybe..

Shifting our gaze to the throttles I was interested to see how this compact little guy would go. Unfortunately, my first impressions with basic assembly didn’t leave me hopeful. I’m afraid that it looks like the use of plastic is a lot more prevalent here with this device and you encounter a fairly sharp seam line around the base where the grey meets the black plastic on the underside of the device.

The throttles come with three axes but four handles—Spoiler, Left and Right Throttles, and a Flap lever. So, here’s the dilemma: Do you want spoilers or flaps on your throttle? I get why Thrustmaster did this—if you buy a second throttle quadrant, you can set it up properly for a four-engine aircraft and have room for everything. But if you’re sticking with just one, you’ll have to make a tough call. Maybe one of the extra two axes on the yoke base could handle your flaps instead? Creative problem-solving or just another flight sim puzzle? You decide.

Upon closer inspection, both the left and right throttle arms feature a push button at the end, allowing for an Auto Throttle Disconnect function. Additionally, each throttle has a reverser arm that activates another button input when pulled back to engage. It’s important to note that these throttles do not have a dedicated axis for reverse thrust—rather, they use a button to toggle it on or off. The reverser head itself is plastic, but it’s connected by a relatively thin metal linking arm. I’m relieved they opted for metal here—if it were plastic, I fear it would likely snap off with minimal force.

There is also no detents for the flaps but rather a simple axis that will require you to visually check in-sim for what you’ve physically selected.

Setup and Configuration

When it comes to the setup of the yoke, it’s a very straight forward affair with the most difficult part simply the installation of the tablet back rest metal bracket and plugging the device in. With the yoke wheel and clamp already installed it really is just a case of mounting to your desk, plugging in and away you go.

When setting up the throttle, it’s as simple as sliding the handles onto the stalks—though, as mentioned earlier, if you only have a single throttle unit, you’ll need to choose between spoilers or flaps.

As for mounting, you have a couple of options. You can place the throttles directly on your desk, where the rubber feet provide a decent level of grip to prevent slipping, or you can use the included clamp to secure them to the edge of your desk. I found the clamp to be the better choice since the yoke sits quite far forward. Without it, I had to lean in awkwardly to make adjustments, which quickly became uncomfortable during longer stints of manual hands on flying.

The pack comes with an included throttle clamp which is simple to install with 2 includes bolts and a pack of soft self-adhesive rubber dots to place on the inside of the clamp to protect the top of your desk. Interestingly the clamp can only fit a desk of up to 46mm (1.81 inches) in thickness far less than that of what the yokes clamp can handle. Something to be mindful of if you have a very thick surface to clamp these devices too.

With the throttles secured to your desk, it’s a simple case of daisy chaining the USB cables, first from the throttles to the Yoke followed by the Yoke to the PC using the included USB-A to C cables.

The elevator axis has tensions springs that allow you to add or subtract tension from the axis. I found that for desk flying, having the default configuration of a single spring worked well, However, once the yoke was installed into the Trak Tracer TR160S the yoke felt quite light and required the extra spring. Installation follows a similar theme with this product which is as simple as removing the panel at the base of the yoke stalk and installing the spring.

Driver installation follows a similar path to other Thrustmaster products. Visiting the website support section and navigating to the product’s support page will give you everything you need including manuals, product sizing information and more.

Once downloaded and installed the basic windows joystick panel is updated with a more comprehensive Thrustmaster inspired layout that also allows you to conveniently update the firmware. At the time of this review, I did not have to update firmware.

It was after the driver installation that I noticed all of my sound settings had been adjusted. Given that the yoke also has a 3.5mm jack for a headset/microphone, audio drivers and thanks to the way Windows handles them, had automagically switched to the Thrustmaster audio devices. As I don’t have a 3.5mm headset to test I simply swapped back to my original audio input/output audio devices.

How do they feel?

Once set up, the TCA Boeing Yoke makes a strong impression on your desk with its sharp design and distinctive pendular movement. Coming from extensive use of the Honeycomb Alpha’s push/pull yoke design, I found this pendular action to be a welcome change, offering a truer to life feeling when hand flying large jet aircraft.

The roll axis starts off very light and progressively firms up as you turn, providing approximately 80 degrees of smooth movement in either direction without a center detent. However, the elevator axis tells a different story—it features a noticeable medium-strength center detent that can make precision control tricky in certain situations.

I found this particularly noticeable during the final approach, where small, precise inputs are crucial. Should you find the aircraft neutrally trimmed, pushing through the detent often led to slightly exaggerated corrections, resulting in a slight porpoising approach path. While the overall feel of the yoke is very nice, this center detent can make fine-tuned adjustments harder than they should be. Note that this effect can be reduced by removing one of the tension springs I’d previously installed and dialing in some axis curve within the simulator. Outside the approach phase I found that the elevator axis handled as expected and when tied with the pendulum movement provided an enjoyable immersive experience.

All the buttons do what they should, I liked the gear handle which is conveniently placed on the right side of the unit. As I had throttles, I elected to use the two bottom throttle axes on the yoke for lighting control over the control of engines. Lastly, I found the tablet/phone holder handy for holding my iPad for charts and other information and very glad it was included.

Changing direction and looking at the throttles is where I really had a hard time. It’s a nice-looking compact unit however the axes on my unit all have a noticeable spring-back effect. Meaning that when you set a throttle lever to a specific position, it tends to bounce back by about 5%. This is especially frustrating when pulling back to idle, only to have the throttles creep up slightly, or when going full power and finding that one lever springs back inconsistently. At this price point—over $800 Aussie dollars—it’s simply not good enough. If I wanted my throttle to have commitment issues, I’d happily take it to therapy. Perhaps this will change as they break in overtime? However, in the weeks I’ve been flying with these they haven’t changed.

The front of the throttles is home to the autopilot mode selector—a great idea in theory, but in practice? It’s a mixed bag. The outer function selector knob feels about as refined as a shopping cart wheel, clunky. Meanwhile, the inner adjustment knob has the attention span of a goldfish—spin it too fast, and it just gives up on registering inputs. I’ve seen this issue in other flight sim gear before, and it looks like the dreaded polling rate strikes again. If you were hoping to swiftly dial in your heading and altitude like a pro, think again—slow and steady is the only way unless you enjoy wrist exercises.

Conclusion

The Thrustmaster TCA Yoke Pack Boeing Edition aims to bring the magic of the 787’s flight deck to your desk, featuring a pendular yoke and a modular throttle quadrant. Everything comes well-protected and is a easy plug-and-play setup—minus the need for a scavenger hunt to find the full manual online. While the design is largely plastic, the metal reinforcements in high-stress areas of the yoke give it some much-needed durability. The yoke itself looks great and mirrors Boeing’s real-world design fairly closely, though the inclusion of extra buttons and a mini stick for camera control is a welcomed upgrade. One minor letdown? The chart clamp is just for show—Thrustmaster, why tease us like that?

Flying with the yoke is an enjoyable experience, thanks to its pendular motion and degrees of motion. However, the elevator axis has a noticeable center detent, which makes fine-tuned inputs—especially on approach—trickier than they should be. If you’re trying to finesse a buttery landing, you might find yourself bouncing through minor corrections like a pilot on their first solo. The mounting system is solid, though the throttle quadrant’s desk clamp only accommodates thinner desks—so if your battle station is built like a tank, prepare for some creative mounting solutions.

The throttle quadrant, unfortunately, doesn’t hold up as well the yoke. It looks sleek, but the axes have an annoying spring-back effect, meaning your throttle settings may have a mind of their own. If you love wrestling with your power settings short final, you’re in luck! The autopilot knob setup is also hit-or-miss—the outer selector knob is clunky and feels unrefined, and the inner dial often ignores fast inputs, forcing you into a slow, deliberate turning rhythm. At this price point, it’s frustrating to see these issues, and unless Thrustmaster tweaks future versions, users might have to break them in over time (or break their patience first). Overall, the TCA Yoke Pack delivers a mostly solid Boeing-inspired experience but leaves room for improvement, especially with the throttles.

Great yoke, less great throttles, 6/10