Holding Patterns Flashcards
Why do aircraft hold? (7)
–Achieve aircraft spacing
–Excess traffic due to volume or weather
–Missed approach
–Waiting for weather conditions to improve
–Wait your turn (conflicting traffic) - esp. in
non-radar environment
–Gain or lose altitude
–Reached clearance limit
–Procedure turn on an instrument approach
What are the challenges to holding? (7)
- Knowing where to hold
- Determining proper entry
- Timing
- Correcting for the wind
- Navigation/Orientation/Visualization
- Communications
- Dealing with emergency/abnormal procedures
- Everything at the same tim
Where can you hold? (7)
- NAVAID (VOR, NDB, LOC)
- Intersection
- Cross Radials
- Outer marker
- DME Fix
- GPS Waypoint
- Basically ANY IDENTIFIABLE POINT
What are the two areas of obstacle protection?
Primary and Secondary
How much does protection does the Primary and Secondary portion of obstacle protection in holding provide?
1,000AGL for Primary
500AGL for Secondary
Standard Holding Pattern:
Which direction does it flow?
How long is each leg?
Turns are always _________
Flows Right
1 Minute Legs
Turns are always Standard Rate
What bank should holding turns be made?
What is the maximum bank you should use?
What factors come into play?
What bank is the turning criteria based on?
– All turns should be conducted at standard rate, or 30° of bank, whichever is less.
- You have to be going more than 210 knots TAS for a standard rate turn to be more than 30° of bank
- If you are using a flight director the bank should be limited to 25° of bank
– Due to factors such as instrument error, pilot technique, etc., the turning criteria is based upon 25° of bank.
Maximum Holding Airspeeds
14,000ft MSL (including)
6,000ft MSL (including)
MHA (Minimum Holding Altitude
When do you reduce below the maximum holding speed?
14,000ft MSL (including) - 230KIAS
6,000ft MSL (including) - 200KIAS
MHA - 200KIAS
Reduce to maximum holding speed within 3 minutes of ETA at hold.
What are the exceptions for maximum holding speeds?(2)
What will be restricted?
Is it charted?
What is the speed restricted
Any altitude areas?
•Maximum holding airspeeds may be restricted to 175 KIAS
–Will be charted
–Applies to Category A and B and B aircraft only
–Pretty rare to see
•Max speeds may be restricted between 6000 and 14000 to 210 KIAS
–Also charted
–Much more common
What is High Performance Holding? What do you need to do?
•High Performance Holding
– Non standard restrictions are charted
– Notify ATC if you need to fly faster than the minimum holding speed
Holding pattern times at:
•At or below 14,000’ MSL
- Above 14,000’ MSLleg
- Holds may also be done using ______ instead of minutes.
- At or below 14,000’ MSL - 1:00 inbound leg
- Above 14,000’ MSL - 1:30 inbound leg
- Holds may also be done using distance instead of minutes.
ATC Holding Instructions
When the clearance limit is reached:
Who is responsible for obtaining holding instructions?
Usually, how many minutes from your clearance limit will result in a delay?
If ATC cannot be reached and a hold is not published what do you do?
•When a clearance limit is reached
–It is the pilot’s responsibility to obtain holding instructions
–Theoretically if you are within 5 minutes of your clearance limit and the controller expects you will have a delay, he/she should give you holding instructions
–If ATC cannot be reached and a hold is not published enter a standard holding pattern on the course on which the aircraft approached the fix
What kinds of holding is there?
- Published Holds
- ATC Holds
For Non-published Holds what will you need to know? (7)
- Clearance limit
- Direction of holding from the fix (8 cardinal directions)
- Radial, course, bearing, airway or route
- Leg length in miles if DME holding is used
- Direction of turns if LEFT turns are to be made
- Assume you maintain present altitude if you aren’t cleared differently
- Time to expect further clearance
Timed Holds:
When do you start your outbound holding pattern time? (3)
Three different options
- Abeam your fix
- When you roll level
- When the flag flips
