I have seen a real life flight.After take off there was a straight climb out followed by instructions from ATC. After a while the captain was cleared to continue to fly as filed.The captain did a "direct to" in the FMC and followed flightplan accordingly.Question: is this a normal procedure?When yes, how do I create a first line flightplan discontinuity in the FMC, giving the possibility to activate the flightplan when I want to?Hans van den Dungen

Why not just stay in HDG SEL mode, and when ATC clears you to your first waypoint, LSK L1 twice, turn on LNAV, and away you go.I don't see why you need a discontinuity for this.Lee Hetherington (KBED)

Agreed - you don't need to be under FMC control for the whole flight... ;) Just take off in HDG SEL and LVL CHG (VNAV SPD would work too) and follow ATC's vectors. When they tell you to resume own navigation or clear you direct to a waypoint - then use the FMC.Ryan