Problem with HDG Select

[Av-Fan 0]

Many thanks to PMDG for such a great product! I'm really having a good time flying the MD-11.I'm having a small problem with the HDG Select mode. I have built a flight plan from PHKO to KONT in FSBuild. For my departure from PHKO, I selected the AMERY2.ROWIN departure. In the MD-11's FMS, all looks OK. Because this departure requires a left turn to a heading of 270 (departing from RWY 35) after passing 500' I did not arm the NAV mode before takeoff. Instead, I preselected the heading of 270 using the HDG knob. After takeoff and passing through 500' I pushed the Auto Flight switched and pulled the HDG Select knob to start my left turn to 270 degrees. However, the aircraft started a right turn that I manually stopped after several seconds. After getting the aircraft headed in a north westerly direction, I re-engaged the HDG Select mode by pusing the Auto Flight button and pulling on the HDG knob. Again, the aircraft started a turn to the right that I stopped after passing a heading of 360 degrees. I finally pushed the NAV button and the aircraft then turned to the left and joined the published route.I've done about 12 flights in the MD-11 but this was the first where I did not engaged NAV mode before takeoff so I'm not sure if this is a fluke or if I am not understanding something here.Any help or ideas would be appreciated.Thanks!Matt Zagoren

[downscc 1,327]

Note the status indicator on the PFD, the center annunciator is telling you what it is doing... you didn't mention what it indicated and I can't guess.Also, this bird will turn the long way around the compass to a new heading if you turn the heading knob the long way around, for example if the heading was 350 and you turned it clockwise through 001 to 270 the AP will follow the turn to the right instead of the shorter left turn to heading.Play with heading on a straight and level flight and watch how the heading knob changes appear on the ND.

[Av-Fan 0]

Thanks for the reply Dan. I don't remember what the status indicator was showing on the PFD. However, I will try this departure again and take note of the direction in which I turn the HDG knob - I bet this was the culprit! Thanks!Matt Zagoren

[MELKOR 5]

Hi Matt,A couple of times, I too have had the MD11 turn the wrong direction on me during a manual HDG change. So, maybe you're not crazy after all. ;-)To get this behavior, I'm quite certain that I did NOT rotate the knob all the way around the opposite direction. :-)FYI: I have reported this to PMDG, and am waiting for this to happen again so that I can get a screenshot for them (had my hands very full during an approach on VATSIM last time this happened, and screenshot was the last thing on my mind!)- Bill