diff --git a/ArduCopter/ArduCopter.pde b/ArduCopter/ArduCopter.pde
index 7333038cd4..5abe716f11 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/ArduCopter.pde
+++ b/ArduCopter/ArduCopter.pde
@@ -610,9 +610,9 @@ static int32_t yaw_rate_target_bf = 0;      // body frame yaw rate target
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Throttle variables
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-static int16_t throttle_accel_target_ef = 0;    // earth frame throttle acceleration target
-static bool throttle_accel_controller_active = false;   // true when accel based throttle controller is active, false when higher level throttle controllers are providing throttle output directly
-static float z_accel_meas = 0;              // filtered throttle acceleration
+static int16_t throttle_accel_target_ef;    // earth frame throttle acceleration target
+static bool throttle_accel_controller_active;   // true when accel based throttle controller is active, false when higher level throttle controllers are providing throttle output directly
+static float z_accel_meas;                  // filtered throttle acceleration
 static float throttle_avg;                  // g.throttle_cruise as a float
 static int16_t desired_climb_rate;          // pilot desired climb rate - for logging purposes only
 
@@ -1675,15 +1675,19 @@ bool set_throttle_mode( uint8_t new_throttle_mode )
     switch(new_throttle_mode) {
         case THROTTLE_MANUAL:
         case THROTTLE_MANUAL_TILT_COMPENSATED:
-            throttle_accel_controller_active = false;   // this controller does not use accel based throttle controller
+            throttle_accel_deactivate();                // this controller does not use accel based throttle controller
             throttle_initialised = true;
             break;
 
-        case THROTTLE_ACCELERATION:
+        case THROTTLE_ACCELERATION:                     // pilot inputs the desired acceleration
+            if( g.throttle_accel_enabled ) {            // this throttle mode requires use of the accel based throttle controller
+                throttle_initialised = true;
+            }
+            break;
+
         case THROTTLE_RATE:
         case THROTTLE_STABILIZED_RATE:
         case THROTTLE_DIRECT_ALT:
-            throttle_accel_controller_active = true;    // this controller uses accel based throttle controller
             throttle_initialised = true;
             break;
 
@@ -1693,7 +1697,6 @@ bool set_throttle_mode( uint8_t new_throttle_mode )
             if ( throttle_mode < THROTTLE_HOLD ) {      // reset the alt hold I terms if previous throttle mode was manual
                 reset_throttle_I();
             }
-            throttle_accel_controller_active = true;    // this controller uses accel based throttle controller
             throttle_initialised = true;
             break;
 
@@ -1701,11 +1704,11 @@ bool set_throttle_mode( uint8_t new_throttle_mode )
             set_land_complete(false);   // mark landing as incomplete
             land_detector = 0;          // A counter that goes up if our climb rate stalls out.
             set_new_altitude(0);        // Set a new target altitude
-            throttle_accel_controller_active = true;    // this controller uses accel based throttle controller
             throttle_initialised = true;
             break;
 
         default:
+            // To-Do: log an error message to the dataflash or tlogs instead of printing to the serial port
             cliSerial->printf_P(PSTR("Unsupported throttle mode: %d!!"),new_throttle_mode);
             break;
     }
@@ -1735,6 +1738,7 @@ void update_throttle_mode(void)
     // do not run throttle controllers if motors disarmed
     if( !motors.armed() ) {
         set_throttle_out(0, false);
+        throttle_accel_deactivate();    // do not allow the accel based throttle to override our command
         return;
     }
 
@@ -1792,6 +1796,7 @@ void update_throttle_mode(void)
         // pilot inputs the desired acceleration
         if(g.rc_3.control_in <= 0){
             set_throttle_out(0, false);
+            throttle_accel_deactivate();    // do not allow the accel based throttle to override our command
         }else{
             int16_t desired_acceleration = get_pilot_desired_acceleration(g.rc_3.control_in);
             set_throttle_accel_target(desired_acceleration);
@@ -1802,6 +1807,7 @@ void update_throttle_mode(void)
         // pilot inputs the desired climb rate.  Note this is the unstabilized rate controller
         if(g.rc_3.control_in <= 0){
             set_throttle_out(0, false);
+            throttle_accel_deactivate();    // do not allow the accel based throttle to override our command
         }else{
             pilot_climb_rate = get_pilot_desired_climb_rate(g.rc_3.control_in);
             get_throttle_rate(pilot_climb_rate);
@@ -1809,9 +1815,10 @@ void update_throttle_mode(void)
         break;
 
     case THROTTLE_STABILIZED_RATE:
-        // pilot inputs the desired climb rate.  Note this is the unstabilized rate controller
+        // pilot inputs the desired climb rate.  Note this is the stabilized rate controller
         if(g.rc_3.control_in <= 0){
             set_throttle_out(0, false);
+            throttle_accel_deactivate();    // do not allow the accel based throttle to override our command
         }else{
             pilot_climb_rate = get_pilot_desired_climb_rate(g.rc_3.control_in);
             get_throttle_rate_stabilized(pilot_climb_rate);
@@ -1822,6 +1829,7 @@ void update_throttle_mode(void)
         // pilot inputs a desired altitude from 0 ~ 10 meters
         if(g.rc_3.control_in <= 0){
             set_throttle_out(0, false);
+            throttle_accel_deactivate();    // do not allow the accel based throttle to override our command
         }else{
             // To-Do: this should update the global desired altitude variable next_WP.alt
             int32_t desired_alt = get_pilot_desired_direct_alt(g.rc_3.control_in);
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Attitude.pde b/ArduCopter/Attitude.pde
index a5f363931a..2f92d63e29 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Attitude.pde
+++ b/ArduCopter/Attitude.pde
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ run_rate_controllers()
     g.rc_4.servo_out = get_rate_yaw(yaw_rate_target_bf);
 #endif
 
-    // run throttle controller if an accel based target has been provided
-    if( throttle_accel_controller_active ) {
+    // run throttle controller if accel based throttle controller is enabled and active (active means it has been given a target)
+    if( g.throttle_accel_enabled && throttle_accel_controller_active ) {
         set_throttle_out(get_throttle_accel(throttle_accel_target_ef), true);
     }
 }
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ static int16_t get_angle_boost(int16_t throttle)
 }
 #endif // FRAME_CONFIG == HELI_FRAME
 
- // set_throttle_out - to be called by upper throttle controllers when they wish to provide throttle output directly to motors (instead of using accel based throttle controller)
+ // set_throttle_out - to be called by upper throttle controllers when they wish to provide throttle output directly to motors
  // provide 0 to cut motors
 void set_throttle_out( int16_t throttle_out, bool apply_angle_boost )
 {
@@ -764,16 +764,26 @@ void set_throttle_out( int16_t throttle_out, bool apply_angle_boost )
         // clear angle_boost for logging purposes
         angle_boost = 0;
     }
-
-    // TO-DO: fix line below because this function is also called by accel based throttle controller
-    throttle_accel_controller_active = false;
 }
 
 // set_throttle_accel_target - to be called by upper throttle controllers to set desired vertical acceleration in earth frame
 void set_throttle_accel_target( int16_t desired_acceleration )
 {
-    throttle_accel_target_ef = desired_acceleration;
-    throttle_accel_controller_active = true;
+    if( g.throttle_accel_enabled ) {
+        throttle_accel_target_ef = desired_acceleration;
+        throttle_accel_controller_active = true;
+    }else{
+        // To-Do log dataflash or tlog error
+        cliSerial->print_P(PSTR("Err: target sent to inactive acc thr controller!\n"));
+    }
+}
+
+// disable_throttle_accel - disables the accel based throttle controller
+// it will be re-enasbled on the next set_throttle_accel_target
+// required when we wish to set motors to zero when pilot inputs zero throttle
+void throttle_accel_deactivate()
+{
+    throttle_accel_controller_active = false;
 }
 
 // get_throttle_accel - accelerometer based throttle controller
@@ -928,7 +938,7 @@ get_throttle_rate(int16_t z_target_speed)
 {
     int32_t p,i,d;      // used to capture pid values for logging
     int16_t z_rate_error;
-    int16_t target_accel;
+    int16_t output;     // the target acceleration if the accel based throttle is enabled, otherwise the output to be sent to the motors
 
     // calculate rate error
 #if INERTIAL_NAV_Z == ENABLED
@@ -949,7 +959,7 @@ get_throttle_rate(int16_t z_target_speed)
     d = g.pid_throttle.get_d(z_rate_error, .02);
 
     // consolidate target acceleration
-    target_accel =  p+i+d;
+    output =  p+i+d;
 
 #if LOGGING_ENABLED == ENABLED
     static uint8_t log_counter = 0;                                      // used to slow down logging of PID values to dataflash
@@ -958,13 +968,18 @@ get_throttle_rate(int16_t z_target_speed)
         log_counter++;
         if( log_counter >= 10 ) {               // (update rate / desired output rate) = (50hz / 10hz) = 5hz
             log_counter = 0;
-            Log_Write_PID(CH6_THROTTLE_KP, z_rate_error, p, i, d, target_accel, tuning_value);
+            Log_Write_PID(CH6_THROTTLE_KP, z_rate_error, p, i, d, output, tuning_value);
         }
     }
 #endif
 
-    // set target for accel based throttle controller
-    set_throttle_accel_target(target_accel);
+    // send output to accelerometer based throttle controller if enabled otherwise send directly to motors
+    if( g.throttle_accel_enabled ) {
+        // set target for accel based throttle controller
+        set_throttle_accel_target(output);
+    }else{
+        set_throttle_out(g.throttle_cruise+output, true);
+    }
 
     // update throttle cruise
     if( z_target_speed == 0 ) {
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Parameters.h b/ArduCopter/Parameters.h
index 1121aab49c..4bc6585a03 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Parameters.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Parameters.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ public:
 
         k_param_crosstrack_min_distance,
         k_param_rssi_pin,
+        k_param_throttle_accel_enabled,
 
         // 65: AP_Limits Library
         k_param_limits = 65,
@@ -269,6 +270,7 @@ public:
     AP_Int8         battery_volt_pin;
     AP_Int8         battery_curr_pin;
     AP_Int8         rssi_pin;
+    AP_Int8         throttle_accel_enabled;      // enable/disable accel based throttle controller
 
     // Waypoints
     //
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Parameters.pde b/ArduCopter/Parameters.pde
index 0b8bd14f19..4c49afedb3 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Parameters.pde
+++ b/ArduCopter/Parameters.pde
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ const AP_Param::Info var_info[] PROGMEM = {
     // @User: Standard
     GSCALAR(rssi_pin,            "RSSI_PIN",         -1),
 
+    // @Param: THR_ACC_ENABLE
+    // @DisplayName: Enable Accel based throttle controller
+    // @Description: This allows enabling and disabling the accelerometer based throttle controller.  If disabled a velocity based controller is used.
+    // @Values: 0:Disabled, 1:Enabled
+    // @User: Standard
+    GSCALAR(throttle_accel_enabled,  "THR_ACC_ENABLE",   1),
+
     GSCALAR(waypoint_mode,  "WP_MODE",          0),
     GSCALAR(command_total,  "WP_TOTAL",         0),
     GSCALAR(command_index,  "WP_INDEX",         0),