How to Fly a Holding Pattern
Determine the Holding Fix., Visualize the Holding Course., Draw the Holding Pattern., Determine the correct Entry Procedure., Time the legs., Watch your speed.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the Holding Fix.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) will give you instructions to "hold north of SKIER intersection as published" or give you specific holding instructions such as "hold south-east of Falcon VOR on Victor 366, left turns." The holding fix can be identified on an instrument flying chart and will usually be an intersection of Victor Airways (pre-established flying routes between VOR navigational aids), a VOR (Very high frequency OmniRange station), or an NDB(NonDirectional Beacon). , This is the position in relation to the holding fix that ATC would like you to hold at.
They may say "hold west on Victor 8" or "hold on the Kremmling 260° radial." You should be very familiar with VOR and NDB radials and bearings before flying holding patterns.
The holding course is the course to fly "to" the station.
This will always be the reciprocal of the radial or bearing "from" the station (eg the 260° radial would result in a 080° Holding Course).
To quickly identify this, take a piece of paper and put a dot for the Holding Fix and draw a line in the direction of the radial or airway to hold on.
Place an arrow pointing to the station to identify the Holding Course. , Once you have the Fix and Course, mentally or physically draw a picture of the holding pattern.
You will need to determine if it is Standard or Non-standard.
A standard pattern turns are to the right, while non-standard turns are to the left.
If the pattern is non-standard, it will be published on the chart as left turns or ATC will say "non-standard pattern" or "left turns." Starting at the Holding Fix, draw a 180° turn in the direction specified (left or right), continue the line paralleling the Holding Course, and draw another 180° turn to bring you back to the Holding Course.
This is the famous "racetrack" or Holding Pattern. , Depending on where you enter the holding pattern, you will need to follow an entry procedure.
If you are coming from 70° to the left (right for non-standard patterns) of the holding course, use a Teardrop procedure.
Coming from 110° to the right (or left if non-standard), use the Parallel procedure.
And from the remaining 180°, fly a direct entry.
The entry procedures are outlined below:
Parallel Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere within sector (a), turn to a heading to parallel the holding course outbound on the non-holding side for the appropriate time (see step 5), turn in the direction of the holding pattern through more than 180 degrees, and return to the holding fix or intercept the holding course inbound.
Teardrop Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere in sector (b), turn outbound to a heading 30° from the holding course on the holding side for the appropriate time, then turn in the direction of the holding pattern to intercept the inbound holding course.
Direct Entry Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere in sector (c), fly directly to the fix and turn to follow the holding pattern. , The pattern should be flown so the Inbound Leg is one minute long if you are flying at or below 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) Mean Sea Level (MSL) or one and a half minutes above 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) MSL.
At the holding fix, make a 180° standard rate turn (3°/sec) in the direction specified for the pattern (standard or non-standard).
When you are abeam the holding fix (or after rolling out of the turn if you are unable to determine abeam the fix), start timing the outbound leg.
After a minute (1½ minutes above 14,000ft), make another 180° turn in the same direction to intercept the holding course.
Time the inbound leg until reaching the holding fix.
If there is little or no wind, it should be one or 1½ minutes as appropriate.
If not, you will need to adjust the outbound leg to make the inbound leg the appropriate time.
For example, if you are flying at 12,000 feet (3,657.6 m) and find that it takes 45 seconds to fly the inbound leg after flying outbound for one minute, make your outbound leg 1 minute and 15 seconds next time.
Similarly, if the inbound leg comes out as 1 minute 30 seconds, shorten the outbound leg by the extra 30 seconds.Remember not to start timing the outbound leg until you are directly abeam the holding fix. , Unless otherwise depicted on a chart or directed by ATC, maximum holding airspeed between the minimum holding altitude and 6,000 feet (1,828.8 m) is 200 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS).
Between 6001 and 14,000 feet (0.0 m), don't fly faster than 230 KIAS and above 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m), maximum airspeed is 265 KIAS. -
Step 2: Visualize the Holding Course.
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Step 3: Draw the Holding Pattern.
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Step 4: Determine the correct Entry Procedure.
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Step 5: Time the legs.
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Step 6: Watch your speed.
Detailed Guide
Air Traffic Control (ATC) will give you instructions to "hold north of SKIER intersection as published" or give you specific holding instructions such as "hold south-east of Falcon VOR on Victor 366, left turns." The holding fix can be identified on an instrument flying chart and will usually be an intersection of Victor Airways (pre-established flying routes between VOR navigational aids), a VOR (Very high frequency OmniRange station), or an NDB(NonDirectional Beacon). , This is the position in relation to the holding fix that ATC would like you to hold at.
They may say "hold west on Victor 8" or "hold on the Kremmling 260° radial." You should be very familiar with VOR and NDB radials and bearings before flying holding patterns.
The holding course is the course to fly "to" the station.
This will always be the reciprocal of the radial or bearing "from" the station (eg the 260° radial would result in a 080° Holding Course).
To quickly identify this, take a piece of paper and put a dot for the Holding Fix and draw a line in the direction of the radial or airway to hold on.
Place an arrow pointing to the station to identify the Holding Course. , Once you have the Fix and Course, mentally or physically draw a picture of the holding pattern.
You will need to determine if it is Standard or Non-standard.
A standard pattern turns are to the right, while non-standard turns are to the left.
If the pattern is non-standard, it will be published on the chart as left turns or ATC will say "non-standard pattern" or "left turns." Starting at the Holding Fix, draw a 180° turn in the direction specified (left or right), continue the line paralleling the Holding Course, and draw another 180° turn to bring you back to the Holding Course.
This is the famous "racetrack" or Holding Pattern. , Depending on where you enter the holding pattern, you will need to follow an entry procedure.
If you are coming from 70° to the left (right for non-standard patterns) of the holding course, use a Teardrop procedure.
Coming from 110° to the right (or left if non-standard), use the Parallel procedure.
And from the remaining 180°, fly a direct entry.
The entry procedures are outlined below:
Parallel Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere within sector (a), turn to a heading to parallel the holding course outbound on the non-holding side for the appropriate time (see step 5), turn in the direction of the holding pattern through more than 180 degrees, and return to the holding fix or intercept the holding course inbound.
Teardrop Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere in sector (b), turn outbound to a heading 30° from the holding course on the holding side for the appropriate time, then turn in the direction of the holding pattern to intercept the inbound holding course.
Direct Entry Procedure.
When approaching the holding fix from anywhere in sector (c), fly directly to the fix and turn to follow the holding pattern. , The pattern should be flown so the Inbound Leg is one minute long if you are flying at or below 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) Mean Sea Level (MSL) or one and a half minutes above 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) MSL.
At the holding fix, make a 180° standard rate turn (3°/sec) in the direction specified for the pattern (standard or non-standard).
When you are abeam the holding fix (or after rolling out of the turn if you are unable to determine abeam the fix), start timing the outbound leg.
After a minute (1½ minutes above 14,000ft), make another 180° turn in the same direction to intercept the holding course.
Time the inbound leg until reaching the holding fix.
If there is little or no wind, it should be one or 1½ minutes as appropriate.
If not, you will need to adjust the outbound leg to make the inbound leg the appropriate time.
For example, if you are flying at 12,000 feet (3,657.6 m) and find that it takes 45 seconds to fly the inbound leg after flying outbound for one minute, make your outbound leg 1 minute and 15 seconds next time.
Similarly, if the inbound leg comes out as 1 minute 30 seconds, shorten the outbound leg by the extra 30 seconds.Remember not to start timing the outbound leg until you are directly abeam the holding fix. , Unless otherwise depicted on a chart or directed by ATC, maximum holding airspeed between the minimum holding altitude and 6,000 feet (1,828.8 m) is 200 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS).
Between 6001 and 14,000 feet (0.0 m), don't fly faster than 230 KIAS and above 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m), maximum airspeed is 265 KIAS.
About the Author
Kathleen Wilson
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