Last night I completed a flight from KDEN to KIND (FDX3608). The first waypoint in the procedure is the DEN VOR/DME, using the PLAIN4 DP. Everything was tripled checked prior to take-off and all was setup as I normally do. I engaged AUTOFLIGHT for ATS control and took off like normal. When it came time to engage the AP, I pressed AUTOFLIGHT again, however, immediately the plane started banking towards the DEN VOR. I never engaged NAV mode on the ground or in the air. I quickly pulled the HDG knob which was preset to 351 and not dashed, but the plane kept heading towards the DEN VOR. I even looked at the FMA which displayed HDG mode in white, but no matter how many times I pushed or pulled the HDG knob, she wouldn't obey.I know I've used HDG mode after take-off before to follow vectors and it worked fine, why was last night different? My reading suggests the AP should default to HDG mode unless I select NAV. Was it just a fluke? I don't have time to retest right now since I probably have to leave for my girlfriends place soon, but I was curious if I'm missing something.Also, is Soft Altitude Hold modelled?

I just took off on the same flight without incident. Lined up on runway 35L ready to roll I pushed PROF NAV & AUTOFLIGHT to arm all, but what I did different from you I believe is I pulled the heading knob to activate heading mode. The heading annuciated NAV ARMED in magenta and HEADING 352 in white. So off we go and at about 1000AGL I simulate a vector to 040 by turning the heading knob to that value then pulling it to activate the change. So far so good and in a few minutes I pretend Center has cleared me to EMMYS so I open the MCDU window and put EMMYS in the GO TO field and *INSERT. No need to touch any button on the glareshield, NAV activated and we rolled to the right in a smooth turn to join the PLAIN DP to EMMYS thence MCK.Try it this way. Hope it helps.

But that is the strange part, I pulled the HDG knob, no matter what was armed, as long as AP was engaged, it should've followed that command, no? It worked when I took off from another field (KMEM iirc), but last night was odd. Push, pull, nothing... just kept following the NAV, even though I never touched NAV. I'm looking forward to getting some more time to try it again, but I know as soon as I get it all ready, my phone will ring and I'll have to get ready to leave. :( Thanks for testing it out. I'm thinking it was just a fluke in the code since I've done a dozen or so flights without incident. This plane has been one of the easier to learn for some reason.

Look for the annunciation of HEADING XXX in white to confirm you are in heading mode. Maybe try to change the HDG value then set it to desired and then pull? I don't know, lots of buttons to play with, eh?

Last night I completed a flight from KDEN to KIND (FDX3608). The first waypoint in the procedure is the DEN VOR/DME, using the PLAIN4 DP. Everything was tripled checked prior to take-off and all was setup as I normally do. I engaged AUTOFLIGHT for ATS control and took off like normal. When it came time to engage the AP, I pressed AUTOFLIGHT again, however, immediately the plane started banking towards the DEN VOR. I never engaged NAV mode on the ground or in the air. I quickly pulled the HDG knob which was preset to 351 and not dashed, but the plane kept heading towards the DEN VOR. I even looked at the FMA which displayed HDG mode in white, but no matter how many times I pushed or pulled the HDG knob, she wouldn't obey.I know I've used HDG mode after take-off before to follow vectors and it worked fine, why was last night different? My reading suggests the AP should default to HDG mode unless I select NAV. Was it just a fluke? I don't have time to retest right now since I probably have to leave for my girlfriends place soon, but I was curious if I'm missing something.Also, is Soft Altitude Hold modelled?

Chris,FSX or FS9 version? Have you implemented the latest update?

Look for the annunciation of HEADING XXX in white to confirm you are in heading mode. Maybe try to change the HDG value then set it to desired and then pull? I don't know, lots of buttons to play with, eh?

Yes, it was in fact in WHITE. No reason why I can think it shouldn't have worked. I wish I would've had the thought to pause and capture a screen shot, but I was too busy trying to figure out why it wouldn't engage.

Chris,FSX or FS9 version? Have you implemented the latest update?

I have the latest update installed, and this is FS9 only, I don't have the FSX version.