anyone know how to get the game to recognize the throttle control?
It recognizes the joystick and all buttons (including the ones on the throttle itself) but not the throttle.
In windows calibration everything works fine so the throttle isn't busted.

EDIT: it also does not pick up the slider switch on the back of the throttle

Well I know you're using FSO, so it isn't a compatibility problem with old software ... T0bias mentioned some odd problems with setting up the stick with FSO too.

http://www.gog.com/forum/freespace_series/setting_up_a_flight_stick_for_fs2

I've not had this problem myself, so I'm not sure what is going on. If no one solves your problem here, you can try the hard-light forums (people who made the FSO engine).

If I understand right, you went into the setup, double clicked the functionality you wanted to assign to the throttle and slider, wiggled them and nothing happened? Do they have default behaviors in the game itself? i.e. if you wiggle them during a mission, what happens?

figured it out, was choosing the wrong throttle bind, had to choose the 2nd to last one, that registered the z access