Hold Entries Revisited

Two almost foolproof methods and a test of some hold-entry gadgets, two of which actually work.

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For reasons having a little to do with human failings and a lotto do with the FAA, remembering how to enter a hold correctlyrequires a level of effort that’s disproportionate to the importanceof the task. It’s like learning parallel parking for a driver’stest. You practice, get good at it, show the examiner you cando it, and then promptly forget about it.

It should be (and once was) a lot simpler. Back in beginning (pre-1961)before there were FAA-recommended entries, a pilot simply flewto the holding fix, turned in the shortest direction to the outboundcourse and then proceeded with the racetrack pattern. Nobody muchworried if the turn was a little longer than the shortest possible.At DC-3 speeds, the airplane wasn’t likely to blunder far enoughto cause much trouble before things got sorted out.

Jets changed the picture.Higher speeds translated to larger turn radii and where a relativelyslow airplane could could lumber into the hold within a few milesof the fix, a 707 needed a lot more airspace. One of the FAA’sresponses to this was larger holding patterns graduated by altitudeand the three pattern entry methods every instrument student mustlearn and master. The theory was that if pilots had a uniformprocedure for entering holds, they’d be less likely to blow theentry and thus precious airspace would be conserved.

Of course, the theory ignores that fact that many general aviationairplanes still cruise at less than DC-3 speeds but, by in large,the hold entries do work. The problem is remembering them or atleast not letting them get in the way of a method that does work.

Just turn outbound

The AIM not withstanding, some instructors still teach the bestway to enter a hold is the original way, which is to simply flyto the fix and turn in the shortest direction to the outboundcourse. The shortest turn back to the fix will get the pilot establishedin the racetrack pattern in fairly short order. Flight examinersmight not approve of this technique for checkride purposes buthow often have you had a DE along when you’ve been assigned areal-life hold? Besides, it’s easy to remember.

In practice, all you have to do is fly directly to the holdingfix, make the turn outbound and fly for a minute or so beforeturning back toward the fix. If you know you’ve got a strong headwindor tailwind, adjust your timing to suit the conditions. Curiously,the turn-to-the-outbound technique often results in the equivalentof the teardrop, parallel or direct entry. The exception is whenyou’re approaching the fix already on the correct heading forthe outbound course. In this case, you’ll cross the fix alignedwith the inbound course but going in the opposite direction. Toget turned around, the AIM would have you initiate a parallelor teardrop entry. However, if you’re using the turn-to-the-outboundmethod, simply cross the fix then head back to it with a turntoward the holding side of the course. Once back at the fix, commencethe racetrack. This method—which is kind of a reverse teardrop—isn’tquite as neat as the AIM-approved teardrop, but it’ll work.

Suppose you get confused and turn the wrong way? This shouldn’tbe cause for panic, at least for a pilot in a slow airplane. Asshown at direction, the protected area around a published holdis much larger than the holding pattern itself. And the higherthe altitude, the larger the protected area. So unless you’rein a very fast airplane, there’s plenty of airspace to get reestablished.

DG as crutch

Some pilots can visualize a holding entry only by sketching itright on the chart. That’s certainly an option, albeit an awkwardone. Another way to accomplish the same thing is to put the DGor HSI to work as a visual aid. Even pilots who busted patternanalysis on their aptitude tests can manage this one.

Step one, as shown in thedrawing, is to divide the DG into segments that correspond toteardrop, parallel and direct entries. To do this, strike an imaginaryline across the face of the instrument that’s 70-degrees off thevertical. (Or 20 dgerees of horizontal, if your prefer)

For standard turns to the right, the right side of the line shouldbe angled upward (as shown). For left turns, the left side shouldbe angled upward. Another imaginary line extends downward fromthe DG’s lubber line to the angled line, dividing the upper halfof the instrument face into two segments. Next, get establishedon a heading towards the holding fix, be it a VOR, NDB or intersection.To determine the entry type, just read the numbered radial orbearing specified in the holding clearance along the outer ringof DG compass card. If the radial falls in the teardrop sectorof your imaginary DG segments, use a teardrop entry; if in theparallel sector, use that type of entry and so on.

If you’re holding at an NDB, make sure you’re clear on whetherthe bearing given is TO or FROM the beacon. Published NDB holdsover approach fixes usually depict the inbound course so if theDG-crutch method is to work in this instance, plug in the reciprocalalong the DG’s card.

Although this method is nearly foolproof, you do need to rememberwhich direction to turn to both begin the entry and to interceptthe inbound course. One trick is to visualize the inbound courseas a line extending from the outside of the compass card to thecenter of the DG. It should then be obvious which way to turnto start the entry.

Cheap tricks

If all else fails, you can always buy one of the gadgets meantto simplify hold entries. A $20 bill will buy a nice selection,making them about the cheapest things the would-be Compleat Pilotcan own.

The simplest are the standard plastic chart plotters. In additionto having several mileage scales and compass roses, these haveholding patterns (and their entries) printed right on them. Jeppesenmakes one called the PV-5 for its charts, Sporty’s sells one ofits own for NOS charts. Both are under ten bucks.

The principle is not terribly hard to grasp. You simply placethe holding pattern over the fix, correctly oriented on the holdingcourse and with the turns in the correct direction. Once you’vefigured out your heading to the fix and thus your position, theplotter tells what type of entry to use. The scales not withstanding,I think the Sporty’s version works better for hold entries. Thepattern is larger and bolder than the Jeppesen, which fades illegiblyinto the clutter around the fix. If you’re a Jeppesen user, theSporty’s plotter does have three of the common scales found onJepps enroute charts.

One thing the plastic plotters don’t do is tell you the inboundand outbound courses. Jeppesen has an answer to that, too. For$7.95, it’s a little circular computer that looks kind of likeone of those cheap E-6Bs. You dial the inbound course into a clearplastic window then read the type of entry underneath along anouter ring, where the inbound holding course is also displayed.The device also displays the correct entry heading once you’vehit the fix and the outbound heading as well.

It’s an excellent teaching aid but I found that it has one confusingflaw. The instructions say "set inbound course of holdingpattern from chart or controller." Unfortunately, controllersdon’t generally give the inbound, they give a cardinal directionand/or a specific radial:"Hold southwest on the 220 radial."Sure, I can get the inbound by noodling the reciprocal but ifI’m going to use a crutch for this stuff, I want it do everything.

The simplest gadgets are the often the best and that’s certainlytrue with holding entry aids. The Holdicator is nothing more thana piece of clear, static-cling plastic with a holding pattern’soutbound turn silk-screened on it. Once you’re inbound to thefix, you’re supposed to stick it right to the glass of the DG,with the Holdicator’s inbound course aligned with the cardinaldirection or radial given in the clearance. It’s then child’splay to read the type of entry and entry heading right on theDG. The Holdicator has little symbols to indicate whether a teardropor parallel entry is required but these really aren’t necessary.The entry type is quite easy to visualize once you know the aircraft’srelationship to the pattern.

When it’s not in use, you can leave the Holdicator plastered tothe DG or, if that’s a bother, stick it on the storm window orsome other out-of-the way place. A real bargain, the Holdicatorcosts $2.95 from Nelson Aviation Products, Box 2889, Littleton,Colo. 80161, or Aviation Training Center, 7201 Perimeter Road S., Seattle, WA98108, postage paid.

Editor’s Note:

For more, see "A Controller’s View of Holding" by Paul Berge.

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