A method of operating a rotorcraft , the method comprising: operating the rotorcraft in a heading control mode when a pilot control among pilot controls is in-detent wherein the pilot controls comprise a pilot stick controlling roll of the rotorcraft and a pilot pedal controlling yaw of the rotorcraft; said operating comprising activating a yaw channel path of a heading controller and deactivating a roll channel path of the heading controller when a speed of the rotorcraft is less than a first speed threshold or a heading error is less than a heading error threshold, and activating the roll channel path of the heading controller and deactivating the yaw channel path of the heading controller when the speed of the rotorcraft is greater than a second speed threshold and the heading error is not less than the heading error threshold, characterised in that in the heading control mode the heading of the rotorcraft is controlled by an outer loop controller in conjunction with the heading controller; wherein a switch is used to select between the yaw channel path and the roll channel path of the heading controller ; and wherein the switch sends a yaw or roll rate command signal from the heading controller, respectively, to a yaw or roll rate controller, and wherein the rotorcraft is operated using the pilot controls when the pilot controls are in out-of-detent operating the rotorcraft in a heading control mode when a pilot control among pilot controls is in-detent wherein the pilot controls comprise a pilot stick controlling roll of the rotorcraft and a pilot pedal controlling yaw of the rotorcraft; said operating comprising activating a yaw channel path of a heading controller and deactivating a roll channel path of the heading controller when a speed of the rotorcraft is less than a first speed threshold or a heading error is less than a heading error threshold, and activating the roll channel path of the heading controller and deactivating the yaw channel path of the heading controller when the speed of the rotorcraft is greater than a second speed threshold and the heading error is not less than the heading error threshold, activating a yaw channel path of a heading controller and deactivating a roll channel path of the heading controller when a speed of the rotorcraft is less than a first speed threshold or a heading error is less than a heading error threshold, and activating the roll channel path of the heading controller and deactivating the yaw channel path of the heading controller when the speed of the rotorcraft is greater than a second speed threshold and the heading error is not less than the heading error threshold, characterised in that in the heading control mode the heading of the rotorcraft is controlled by an outer loop controller in conjunction with the heading controller; wherein a switch is used to select between the yaw channel path and the roll channel path of the heading controller ; and wherein the switch sends a yaw or roll rate command signal from the heading controller, respectively, to a yaw or roll rate controller, and in the heading control mode the heading of the rotorcraft is controlled by an outer loop controller in conjunction with the heading controller; wherein a switch is used to select between the yaw channel path and the roll channel path of the heading controller ; and wherein the switch sends a yaw or roll rate command signal from the heading controller, respectively, to a yaw or roll rate controller, and wherein the rotorcraft is operated using the pilot controls when the pilot controls are in out-of-detent <EOS>