FromTheShadows,

Ok, let's give this a try. For those not following all threads: This is
a try by FromTheShadows (real names have a nice touch of honesty and
responsibility to them, BTW - if you won't stand by your words with your
name, what are they worth?) to get answers to questions he thinks are
valuable for the group despite having been originally posted by
you-know-who. His solution is to repost them under his name. For the
sake of the experiment, I will be very happy to answer any questions and
comments - except those from you-know-who.

1. If I am told to "depart XYZ heading 150" while IFR, and the last
heading given to me by ATC does not quite take me to an intercept of
the XYZ VOR, should I turn to intercept the VOR?

ATC should always give you a reason for a vector. If you don't get one,
ask. The reason might come in the form of "heading 150 to xyz VOR, then
as files" or "vector for traffic" or some such. You should always know
why you are being sent of into a certain direction. The rules in case of
a loss of comms have been quoted already elsewhere.

2. If I am VFR in Class B, on a transition route, are altitude and
heading at my discretion (within the limits of the transition route)
UNLESS ATC directs me to a specific altitude and/or heading, or do I
always wait for ATC to provide exact instructions?

Depends. There are transition routes where you don't need to contact ATC
(in L.A., for example). Otherwise, ATC will give you instruction - or
you request an altitude and heading and see if they accomodate you.

3. If ATC says "proceed direct to XYZ," and XYZ is a waypoint in my
IFR flight plan, do I assume that I can resume my own navigation after
reaching XYZ, or do I maintain the same course and altitude until
otherwise instructed, even after reaching XYZ?

Neither. ATC should always tell you what to do afterwards before
"afterwards" arrives. If they don't, you ask. If you can't get an answer
in time, at least in Europe, you hold at the fix until you get an
answer. If you find you have lost comms, you follow the procedure for
that. That procedure can be found in the FARs and/or the AIM.

4. If an IFR departure plate says "fly runway heading, then vectors to
fix (or) XYZ," I take that to mean that I continue on the runway
heading after take-off, until ATC tells me to turn towards some other
fix. Is this correct?

Show me a plate that does, and we'll discuss it.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)