diff --git a/posix-configs/SITL/init/ekf2/plane b/posix-configs/SITL/init/ekf2/plane
index e9cc2796af..521b5a6e21 100644
--- a/posix-configs/SITL/init/ekf2/plane
+++ b/posix-configs/SITL/init/ekf2/plane
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ param set FW_PR_FF 0.40
 param set FW_PR_I 0.05
 param set FW_PR_P 0.05
 
+param set FW_W_EN 1
 param set RWTO_TKOFF 1
 
 replay tryapplyparams
diff --git a/posix-configs/SITL/init/lpe/plane b/posix-configs/SITL/init/lpe/plane
index c4da63c665..3df84cf36a 100644
--- a/posix-configs/SITL/init/lpe/plane
+++ b/posix-configs/SITL/init/lpe/plane
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ param set FW_PR_FF 0.40
 param set FW_PR_I 0.05
 param set FW_PR_P 0.05
 
+param set FW_W_EN 1
 param set RWTO_TKOFF 1
 
 replay tryapplyparams
diff --git a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
index 1df1db2975..f37e8b6981 100644
--- a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_rates_setpoint.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_status.h>
 #include <uORB/uORB.h>
+#include <vtol_att_control/vtol_type.h>
 
 using matrix::Eulerf;
 using matrix::Quatf;
@@ -177,6 +178,8 @@ private:
 		float roll_to_yaw_ff;
 		int32_t y_coordinated_method;
 		float y_rmax;
+
+		bool w_en;
 		float w_p;
 		float w_i;
 		float w_ff;
@@ -209,11 +212,11 @@ private:
 
 		float rattitude_thres;
 
-		int vtol_type;					/**< VTOL type: 0 = tailsitter, 1 = tiltrotor */
+		int32_t vtol_type;					/**< VTOL type: 0 = tailsitter, 1 = tiltrotor */
 
-		int bat_scale_en;			/**< Battery scaling enabled */
+		int32_t bat_scale_en;			/**< Battery scaling enabled */
 
-	}		_parameters;			/**< local copies of interesting parameters */
+	}		_parameters{};			/**< local copies of interesting parameters */
 
 	struct {
 
@@ -238,6 +241,8 @@ private:
 		param_t roll_to_yaw_ff;
 		param_t y_coordinated_method;
 		param_t y_rmax;
+
+		param_t w_en;
 		param_t w_p;
 		param_t w_i;
 		param_t w_ff;
@@ -272,7 +277,7 @@ private:
 
 		param_t bat_scale_en;
 
-	}		_parameter_handles;		/**< handles for interesting parameters */
+	}		_parameter_handles{};		/**< handles for interesting parameters */
 
 	// Rotation matrix and euler angles to extract from control state
 	math::Matrix<3, 3> _R;
@@ -429,6 +434,7 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::FixedwingAttitudeControl() :
 	_parameter_handles.y_rmax = param_find("FW_Y_RMAX");
 	_parameter_handles.roll_to_yaw_ff = param_find("FW_RLL_TO_YAW_FF");
 
+	_parameter_handles.w_en = param_find("FW_W_EN");
 	_parameter_handles.w_p = param_find("FW_WR_P");
 	_parameter_handles.w_i = param_find("FW_WR_I");
 	_parameter_handles.w_ff = param_find("FW_WR_FF");
@@ -529,6 +535,10 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::parameters_update()
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.y_rmax, &(_parameters.y_rmax));
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.roll_to_yaw_ff, &(_parameters.roll_to_yaw_ff));
 
+	int32_t wheel_enabled = 0;
+	param_get(_parameter_handles.w_en, &wheel_enabled);
+	_parameters.w_en = (wheel_enabled == 1);
+
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.w_p, &(_parameters.w_p));
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.w_i, &(_parameters.w_i));
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.w_ff, &(_parameters.w_ff));
@@ -806,7 +816,7 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::task_main()
 			_pitch   = euler_angles(1);
 			_yaw     = euler_angles(2);
 
-			if (_vehicle_status.is_vtol && _parameters.vtol_type == 0) {
+			if (_vehicle_status.is_vtol && _parameters.vtol_type == vtol_type::TAILSITTER) {
 				/* vehicle is a tailsitter, we need to modify the estimated attitude for fw mode
 				 *
 				 * Since the VTOL airframe is initialized as a multicopter we need to
@@ -1118,7 +1128,7 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::task_main()
 
 						float yaw_u = 0.0f;
 
-						if (_att_sp.fw_control_yaw == true) {
+						if (_parameters.w_en && _att_sp.fw_control_yaw) {
 							yaw_u = _wheel_ctrl.control_bodyrate(control_input);
 
 						} else {
diff --git a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
index 7540d26007..37ae13f680 100644
--- a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
+++ b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
@@ -287,6 +287,15 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_Y_RMAX, 0.0f);
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_RLL_TO_YAW_FF, 0.0f);
 
+/**
+ * Enable wheel steering controller
+ *
+ * @boolean
+ * @group FW Attitude Control
+ */
+PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(FW_W_EN, 0);
+
+
 /**
  * Wheel steering rate proportional gain
  *