Keybinds Guide

Every U-2S function you can bind in MSFS, grouped by system. Several U-2S functions have no MSFS control of their own, so the aircraft borrows controls it does not otherwise need (a water rudder, cowl flaps, mixtures 3 and 4, condition levers): the names in the binding column are the ones to search for.

Note

Clickable in Cockpit column

✅ There is a control in the cockpit: the keybind is optional.

❌ There is no control in the cockpit: a keybind or axis is the only way to use it.

To bind: in MSFS open Settings, then Controls, search for the name in the binding column and assign a key, button or axis to it.

Primary Flight Controls

Function	MSFS Axis and Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Elevator	`ELEVATOR AXIS`	❌
Ailerons	`AILERONS AXIS`	❌
Rudder	`RUDDER AXIS` You may need the split rudder axes, depending on your hardware (`RUDDER AXIS LEFT` and `RUDDER AXIS RIGHT`).	❌
Throttle	`THROTTLE AXIS` IDLE to FULL.	✅
Wheel Brakes	`BRAKES` or `LEFT BRAKE AXIS` or `RIGHT BRAKE AXIS` Either pedal brakes the single main wheel: there is no differential braking.	❌
Parking Brake	`TOGGLE PARKING BRAKE` or `SET PARKING BRAKE` Works normally, except with the EFB option Cockpit handle on Stall strip: there is no parking brake then, and the keys do nothing. The wheel chocks are on the EFB Ground tab.	✅
Flaps	`INCREASE FLAPS` or `DECREASE FLAPS` or `FLAPS AXIS` Faired to 35° in 5° steps.	✅

Trims

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Pitch Trim	`ELEVATOR TRIM UP` and `ELEVATOR TRIM DOWN`	✅
Pitch Trim Wheel	`ELEVATOR TRIM AXIS`	❌
Aileron Trim	`AILERON TRIM LEFT` and `AILERON TRIM RIGHT` or `AILERON TRIM AXIS`	✅

Lift Spoilers and Speedbrakes

Function MSFS Key Bindings Clickable in Cockpit

Lift Spoilers (yoke SPOILER button)

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Lift Spoilers (yoke SPOILER button)	`TOGGLE WATER RUDDER` Each press is one click: a click latches the lift spoilers up, the next one releases them. Bound on both press and release, it works as a hold button. Needs the SPOILER switch in ARM or EMER and LANDING / LET DN in LANDING.	✅
Speedbrakes	`TOGGLE SPOILERS` or `EXTEND SPOILERS` or `RETRACT SPOILERS`	✅

TOGGLE WATER RUDDER

Each press is one click: a click latches the lift spoilers up, the next one releases them. Bound on both press and release, it works as a hold button. Needs the SPOILER switch in ARM or EMER and LANDING / LET DN in LANDING.

✅

Speedbrakes

TOGGLE SPOILERS or EXTEND SPOILERS or RETRACT SPOILERS

✅

Engine

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Throttle OFF / IDLE	`INCREASE COWL FLAP 4` Moves the throttle between OFF (fuel cutoff) and IDLE. Into OFF only with the throttle below 10 %.	✅
Airstart	`TOGGLE STARTER 1` or `STARTER 1 (HELD)` or `TOGGLE ALL STARTERS`	✅
Engine Autostart	`ENGINE AUTO START`	❌
Engine Auto Shutdown	`ENGINE AUTO SHUTDOWN`	❌

Landing Gear

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Landing Gear	`LANDING GEAR UP` or `LANDING GEAR DOWN` or `TOGGLE LANDING GEAR` or `SET LANDING GEAR`	✅
Manual Gear Release	`TOGGLE EMERGENCY GEAR HANDLE`	✅

AFCS (Autopilot)

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
AFCS Engage / Disconnect	`TOGGLE AUTOPILOT MASTER` or `AUTOPILOT ON` or `AUTOPILOT OFF`	✅
Altitude Hold	`TOGGLE ALTITUDE HOLD` AFCS ALT mode, with the AFCS engaged and PITCH on: holds the altitude at the moment of the press.	✅
Heading	`INCREASE HEADING BUG` or `DECREASE HEADING BUG` or `SET HEADING BUG` Set the PFD heading marker, the same as `L3` HDG on the PFD; HDG mode follows it.	✅
Course	`INCREASE VOR 1 OBS` or `DECREASE VOR 1 OBS` or `INCREASE TACAN 1 OBS` or `DECREASE TACAN 1 OBS`	✅
Altitude Select	`INCREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE ALTITUDE` or `DECREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE ALTITUDE` Set the PFD altitude bug. With ALT holding, the AFCS also goes to the new altitude at once, and a step counts from the altitude it is holding, not from the bug.	✅
Airspeed Bug	`INCREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE AIRSPEED` or `DECREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE AIRSPEED`	✅
Mach Hold Target	`INCREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE MACH` or `DECREASE AUTOPILOT REFERENCE MACH` With MACH engaged they change the Mach it holds, .001 a step, like the PITCH/MACH wheel. With MACH off they do nothing.	✅

Electrical, Lights and Radios

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Battery	`TOGGLE MASTER BATTERY` or `MASTER BATTERY ON` or `MASTER BATTERY OFF` Moves the cockpit BATTERY switch.	✅
Generators	`TOGGLE ALTERNATOR 1` Moves the cockpit generator selector.	✅
Landing Light	`TOGGLE LANDING LIGHTS` Moves the cockpit switch. The light only comes on with the gear down.	✅
Navigation Lights	`TOGGLE NAV LIGHTS` Moves the cockpit NAV switch.	✅
Transponder	`SET TRANSPONDER CODE` or `TRANSPONDER IDENT`	✅
Altimeter Setting	`INCREASE ALTIMETER` or `DECREASE ALTIMETER`	✅

Camera and Sensors

Function	MSFS Key Bindings	Clickable in Cockpit
Camera Zoom In	`INCREASE MIXTURE 3` MFD camera zoom in, in 1× steps up to 32×; above 32× it steps through 48×, 64× and 73× (90× in SWIR and MWIR). The picture stops at the zoom the distance to the ground allows. With the OBC it goes up to 15×.	✅
Camera Zoom Out	`DECREASE MIXTURE 3` Zoom out, 1× a step; below 1× it halves, down to 0.5×.	✅
Camera Zoom Reset	`DECREASE MIXTURE 4` Camera zoom back to 1×.	❌
Camera Capture	`INCREASE MIXTURE 4`	❌
Viewsight Hand Control Fore / Aft	`INCREASE CONDITION LEVER 1` or `DECREASE CONDITION LEVER 1` or `CONDITION LEVER 1 AXIS` The lever on the Mark IV panel: aims the SYERS-2A forward / aft, or moves the radar cursor in range. The OBC only looks left and right. The axis is a rate control: the lever holds where you let go. Each input is scaled by the zoom, so a move covers the same part of the picture at any zoom. See Mark IV Camera Panel.	✅
Viewsight Hand Control Left / Right	`INCREASE CONDITION LEVER 2` or `DECREASE CONDITION LEVER 2` or `CONDITION LEVER 2 AXIS` Aims the camera right / left, or moves the radar cursor in bearing.	✅
Viewsight Centre	`SET CONDITION LEVER` Camera straight down; radar cursor ahead at half range.	✅
Targeting Point Designate	`CONDITION LEVER HIGH IDLE` Marks the point the sensor is aimed at as a new targeting point, in the first free slot of ten. See Targeting Points.	❌