Holds

Not available in the Stable Version

Overview

Holding patterns , as they are officialy known, can be used as a delaying tactic for airborn aircraft. Typically holding patterns have a racetrack pattern and can easily be spotted on flight trackers. All holds are made up out of segments, the segments are shown in the figure below.

Why hold?

Holdings are typically used to delay aircraft, or less common, to burn of fuel for landing. A good example usecase of a hold can be seen in Innsbruck (LOWI) in the picture below.

Preparing the hold

Aircraft can technically hold, if given permission by ATC in advance, at any waypoint. Holds that are published on aviation charts are called published holds. For the purpose of this guide we will only take a published hold into condideration. Holds can be spotted on charts in 2 ways where both options can be applied on the same chart. For example look at the chart below.

Waypoints with published holds can be spotted by a racetrack pattern or a white H in a black box drawn in a chart. Holds displayed by the white H in the black box will always be accompanied by a visual racetrack patern in a diagram on the side of the chart.

Now that you know where to hold, you should know how to set up the hold. To do this you will need to find information on the chart and move it into the FMS. The main information you need to have is: 1. Name of the fix/waypoint 2. Inbound course 3. Turning direction 4. Length of the legs, eather in time or distance

Eather the inbound course/heading or the reciprocal of the hold is always depicted on the chart.

Below you will find samples of diffrent holds with red dots placed where the information is located.

Examples of holds in charts

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
ARNUM	216	Right	STD	STD	FL140	FL100

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
SUGOL	110	Right	STD	STD	FL250	FL70

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
OKLAX	149	Left	STD	210KT	STD	8000FT

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
DVN	053	Right	STD	210KT	-	2900FT

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
BOTON	*049	Right	STD	STD	-	6000FT
PANZE	*049	Left	STD	STD	-	6000FT
CAMRN	041	Left	STD	210KT	14000FT	6001FT

 the inbound course can be calulated by subtracting or adding 180 to the reciprocal.

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
SKENS	274	Right	10NM	STD	-	13000FT

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
SNAAG	061	Right	10NM	STD	-	-

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
TIGER	315	Right	STD	STD	FL240	FL150
BIG	302	Right	STD	STD	FL150	FL70

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Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
DDM	059	Left	STD	230KT	-	6000FT
EGN	108	Left	STD	230KT	-	4000FT
KEA	335	Right	STD	230KT	-	5000FT

Lorum ipsum

Fix	Inbound course	Turning direction	Leg distance	Max speed	Max alt	Min Alt (MHA)
CRS	001	Left	Until CVO VOR reads 34.0 NM	STD	-	FL120

STD leg distance is defined by the FAA to be:

Altitude (MSL)	Leg distance
MHA - 14000FT	1 minute
14001FT and above	1.5 minutes

STD Max hold speed is defined by the FAA to be:

Altitude (MSL)	Airspeed (KIAS)
MHA - 6000FT	200
6001FT - 14000FT	230
14001FT and above	265

Entering the hold

Now all information of the hold is known it is time to create a hold in the FMS via the MCDU. A step by step guide to hold at SKENS as with example chart 6 (above) is provided below.

Programming the hold

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Find the waypoint in the F-PLN page on the MCDU. Select the corresponding line. In this case the 3rd from the top, SKENS, and push the left line selector key (LSK) for SKENS.

In this page select the 3rd LSK to enter the hold section for the SKENS waypoint.

Notice the title of the page is called COMPUTED HOLD at SKENS.

Computed means that this is information provided from the simulator. This can be wrong, old AIRAC for example, and can be edited.

As can be seen by the bigger symbols, the inbound course 274 is inserted in the FMS

Note that the title has changeed to HOLD and a REVERT TO COMPUTED appeared. REVERT TO COMPUTED will erase all custom set settings and revert back to the computed settings.

As can be seen in the chart in example 6 above, the hold has a leg length of 10NM. To enter this in the FMS type /10 in the MCDU and select LSK3 to feed it in the TIME/DIST box. The time needed to complete the leg is also re-calculated and is 3.3 minutes in this case.

If leg distance is constrained by time (as it is for a standard hold) this can be set by typing for example 1.5 in the MCDU and feeding it in the TIME/DIST box. Also now, the leg distance will automatically be re-calculated.

Not yet implemented

In the bottom section of the MCDU screen 'Last exit' can be found. The section compromises of a UTC and FUEL reading. Last exit gives information on how long the airplane can safely stay in the hold while still having the fuel for the rest of the approach, to go around, divert and the final reserve fuel. The UTC and FUEL will give you the time and the minium fuel respectively needed when leaving the hold.

If the inbound course, turning direction and leg distance are set correctly press the 6th LSK on the right to insert the hold into the Flight plan.

Notice the white curved arrow in the ND. In this case it is turned to the right, however, if a left turn hold is selected the arrow would turn to the left.
Also notice how the hold waypoint now appears for an additional time in the flight plan. This is needed for the FMS to calculate a good exit path when leaving the hold.

Leaving the hold

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Last update: March 10, 2022