non published holding patterns

[Ryan]

I’m about ready to take my instrument check ride and have found one of the most difficult parts of the training was figuring out which type of entry to use for a holding pattern. The concept was pretty straight forward but of course when I was actually in the plane, trying to fly, looking at the charts and trying to keep calm it was a lot more difficult! After several hours of practice on MSFS2004 I feel much better about them.

The other week my instructor told me that sometimes atc will tell you to hold at a non-published holding pattern. Of course when I’m sitting at my kitchen table I have no trouble figuring these out but I can’t imagine trying to do it while flying. Are there any tricks to making these easier or is it "practice makes perfect"?

Thanks for any help.

 

[moving2vegas]

holding patterns

Every instrument students hardest area, what holding pattern entry to use??? Your instructors right. With more and more IFR gps comes more people off established airways and traveling direct. Thus controllers issue more non published holding patterns. For those on us doing single pilot IFR and don't have an FMS/ 10" MFD/ or $20,000 garmin GPS it does become confusing fast. Many NP holds are fortunately very straightforward. Most of what I hear are VOR or DME holds on a radial. For example: "hold on the ABC 123 radial, 10 DME fix, left turns" They're usually easy to figure out, but the entry is where it gets tricky. Here's my 2 cents worth. What holding entry you use depends on the situation you're in. If your VFR on top or IFR with ok vis, a long distance from the hold, or not under some form of pressure; then take your time and figure out the correct entry. Now if its hard IFR, you just got the hold 1 min before the fix, and you're time crunched, screw the correct entry and just make sure you turn toward the protected side. Now every pilot on this message board is going to bash me for saying that, but personally I feel it's better to make the turn toward the protected side than fly straight ahead and run into a mountain while you figure out which is the best entry method. Now I'm going to mess you up more. This is one of those "do as I say not as I do" situations. Since you're an instrument student, you're examiner & instructor don't what to hear what I said. They want the textbook answer and response. Which is figure out the correct entry and do that. Every pilot on this message board is going to give you a different "trick" they use. Some will be great and others worthless. Take em' with a grain of salt, mine included.

 

[UnstableAviator]

You're doing the right thing by using your avaliable resources to help; Flight sim is a fantastic tool for working on instrument skills on your own time.

As for your question, I'd definately say that practice makes perfect. Keep it up, and pretty soon the correct entry will be obvious to you. There are only 3, and usually a simple game of visualization, followed by elimination, will narrow it down quickly.

 

[LXApilot]

Holding Entry

Instrument Student-

Just remember that the holding entry methods defined in the AIM are only suggested and not regulatory in nature. I agree that if you are crunched for time make the turn to the protected side and do whatever you have to get yourself established in the hold. One thing I always did is draw the hold in relationship to my airplane and then once you have it down, you can usually apply the normal 70/30/180 method of finding the correct entry. Good luck on your IFR checkride, its the funnest one you'll take!

 

[TDTURBO]

Re: Holding Entry

Instrument Student-

Good luck on your IFR checkride, its the funnest one you'll take!

Oh ya, the instrument checkride is loads of fun.

 

[A Squared]

Re: Holding Entry

Good luck on your IFR checkride, its the funnest one you'll take!

Huh? what sort of twisted freak are you? My seaplane checkride was fun, my glider checkride was fun, my instrument checkride was just work.

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

Just remember that the holding entry methods defined in the AIM are only suggested and not regulatory in nature.

But on a checkride you have to show proper entries. I had a student of mine fail a multi-instrument check ride because he liked to do his own hold entries because like he said, "they are not regulatory in nature". He came back with me and we did some remedial and he learned correct holding pattern entries and passed his checkride.

 

[350DRIVER]

Holding is one area that seems to cause instrument students the most trouble. I would not get down on yourself, the more you do them the easier they will become. I have done probably 3 tops in the past few years in actual imc. Most of my holds were accomplished during 6 month checks/evaluations. This does seem to be one area that makes or breaks pilots during a sim evaluation during the interview process so surely understand them as well as possible since you probably will not a great deal of them in a real world scenario. I probably just jinxed myself so I may regret this post in the upcoing months.

good luck on the ride


3 5 0

 

[Singlecoil]

Isn't anyone going to mention the thumb on the DG method?

 

[T-Gates]

I was waiting for that too......