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Saturday 22nd November 2008
Brainteasers
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Brainteasers Interactive Quiz #9:
Holding Procedures

From our Not-So-Useful-Information-But-You-Oughta-Know-This-Anyway file, here's an interactive quiz about IFR holding procedures. The problem with holding is that most of us don't do enough of it to stay current on the procedures. But sooner or later, if yoy fly much real-world IFR, you'll get a hold or two. This quiz appears in abbreviated form in the August 1996 issue of IFR magazine.

by Paul Bertorelli

The questions in this Brainteaser quiz are based on FAR Part 91, the AIM, and the ATC Handbook 7110.65.

Answer the questions as best you can, then click on the "score" button to see your score and read the explanations. If you don't like your score the first time around, you can change some of your answers and resubmit. To get the most out of this quiz, we suggest you keep trying until you get a perfect score.

1. If you were cleared to a point other than the destination airport and told to hold as published, which of these items wouldn't be included in the hold instructions?
a. Direction from fix
b. An EFC time
c. Reason for the delay
d. All of these items would be included.
2. If no holding pattern is charted and ATC doesn't issue instructions, a pilot should:
a. Assume right turns
b. Assume left turns
c. Query the controller
d. Refuse the clearance
3. If you were flying toward a clearance limit and no delay is expected, ATC is supposed to advise you of that fact:
a. Upon reaching the clearance limit.
b. Five minutes before the clearance limit.
c. Three minutes before the clearance limit.
d. No notification requirement
4. If given a clearance limit but no holding instructions, a pilot is expected to:
a. Hold as published upon reaching the clearance limit.
b. Contact ATC for further clearance five minutes before reaching the limit.
c. Enter a standard holding pattern on the radial or course to the fix.
5. Some approaches depict a standard, barbed procedure turn course reversal, plus a holding pattern over the same fix upon which the procedure turn is based. The hold is charted so you'll have some place to go if you miss the approach. When the pattern is charted, you cannot use the holding pattern for course reversal. You must fly the full PT.
a. True.
b. False.
6. What is the maximum holding airspeed for propeller-driven aircraft? from the minimum holding altitude up to and including 6,000 feet. MSL?
a. 175 knots IAS
b. 200 knots IAS
c. 230 knots IAS
d. 265 knots IAS
7. According to the AIM, a pilot assigned a holding should begin reducing speed how far ahead of reaching the holding fix?
a. Three miles
b. Three minutes
c. Five miles
d. Depends on type and direction of hold and type of holding fix.
8. Would the following clearance be legal? "Bonanza One Victor Romeo, hold over the red smokestacks west of town at 3000 feet."
a. Yes, it's an authorized visual holding procedure.
b. No, visual holds are not permitted. ATC has to issue a "remain clear of airspace" clearance. You're on your own to decide how to do that.
c. Yes, it's legal, as long as the pilot is familiar with the landmark. (ATC handbook, 7110,65J, 4-6-5 Visual Holding Points)
9. In some weather conditions, ATC is not authorized to allow aircraft to hold on the localizer below 5000 feet AGL. Why is that?
a. Glideslopes intercept altitudes are always above 5000 feet.
b. The localizer is not considered accurate course guidance above 4000 feet AGL.
c. False glideslopes could cause problems.
d. The holding aircraft could disrupt the ILS signal for inbound aircraft.
10. Arrival scenario: You're inbound to your home airport and by listening to the freq, you hear another aircraft is on the way in, too. It sounds like he'll beat you by a couple of miles and, sure enough, ATC says to enter the hold over the LOM at 4000 feet, with an EFC 10 minutes from now. You hit the holding fix, and turn outbound. But before you even fly out the one-minute WAG for your outbound leg, the controller immediately clears you for the approach. You must:
a. Take one full turn around the holding pattern before proceeding inbound.
b. Take another turn if you need it, but otherwise you're cleared to proceed with the approach.
c. Proceed with the approach; another turn around the racetrack is not authorized.