What's your longest time in a hold?

[WrightAvia]

I put 1.3 hours into one today...used 10 mile legs.

 

[mar]

You got me beat by about 30 mins...

...so, did you make it in after all that holding?

 

[JBcrjca]

During my BE-58 freighter days, I held for 1.5 hrs each on two consecutive mornings trying to get into OKC. I knew the wx was sketchy, so I topped the tanks before leaving DAL both days. Of course it went W0X0F. Everyone else held for a bit, then went to their alternates...I kept circling. Appch asked how long I could hold, told them 3.5 hrs. The first day I eventually got in with 1800 RVR, the second day I gave up and diverted to PWA to unload the work. Ahh, the good old days.

 

[metrodriver]

2hrs when a t-storm hit DFW. Saw before departure a storm that had just blossomed up and would be over DFW at about the same time we should arrive there. Put a lot of extra fuel on and sure enough, 30 NM out the airport closes. We held while everybody scattered all over the place, and after 2 hours we were the only ones still holding and of course we were the first ones in. There were no arrivals after us for quite some time because of groundholds and diverted aircraft.
10 NM legs and taking turns flying. Holding is no fun in a metro without autopilot.

 

[rettofly]

Holding is no fun in a metro without autopilot.

Not much fun in a Bandit either at the tail end of a 14-hr+ all-nighter. I only held for an hour at TYS one morning. 20-mile legs with a DC9 in the clag 1000 ft below me. I was on the inbound to the VOR when the RVR came up and beat the DC9 in.

 

[WrightAvia]

You got me beat by about 30 mins...
...so, did you make it in after all that holding?

Yes, I did. The airport is on a peninsula on a peninsula. Field elevation is about 4 or 5 hundred feet above the Great Lakes surface level with the terrain rising rapidly from the waterfront, so fog becomes an issue with wind direction and lack of a dew point spread.

It was a 1/4 mile vis on the metar when I left to start my 1.7 hour flight to this airport, which was unforecasted in the TAF. It was also unforcasted in the TAF for my arrival. I chose to hold longer because at the top of the hour, the new forecast showed a change for the better and I was expecting and saw the beginnings of frontal passage on the AWOS, slight changes in the wind direction and speed at the surface.

I also noticed my steady +5 C had dropped to a +4 C at my 4,000 foot holding altitude, just about the time the frontal passage wind shift occurred. As I was in some serious drizzle for the whole trip and throughout the hold, that temperature change was a concern for me...and was also going to be the catalyst for starting for my alternate, which was only 50 miles away with good weather.

With 1,200 pounds of fuel on board and slowing to about 250 pounds per hour, I could stay out there as long as the controller wanted to keep giving me EFC's and for as long as the old bladder could hold out. Which probably would be an EFP.

 

[STL717]

1:45 over CGI and as TRWs formed I had to change the hold 7 times. Had a FAA inspector in the jump seat. I finally turned to the inspector and asked if we could call holding complete and go in and do some ILSes. He didn't think it was funny.

 

[lionflyer]

2hrs over the outer marker in MBS one morning waiting for fog that was forcast to lift in a 310 without DME (one minute legs baby!!!) The fog eventually lifted by noon and we were back on our way. My passenger slept the whole time.

 

[WrightAvia]

One minute legs!!! that had to suck big time. Couldn't they give you anything like 10 mile legs?

 

[lionflyer]

It did suck big time. I was flying a beat up old 310 that didn't have any DME or any other options that would allow me to do 10 mile legs. It was good practice though and I haven't had to do it since.

 

[na265]

One hour at IAD. Had the boards out the entire time for the anti-ice. Air France was above us, turning the wrong way! Every time we got to the turns we would be in mod-heavy precip. The fun went down fast.

 

[Publishers]

holding

1:50 -- the first hour plus at the VOR doing 10 milers and then over the outmarker for some more 1min ones. Weather sucked and approach control had radar problems. This was at ILM many years ago.

On the outbound, it took something like 1 hour to get to Myrtle Beach in my Aztec which should give you an idea of the winds.

 

[Singlecoil]

1:40 waiting for the weather to come up to 700 RVR at KSEA. Got in about 5 minutes before bingo.

 

[mar]

Wow! Good timing!

I always hate gettin' to Bingo late 'cause all the seats are gone!

 

[350DRIVER]

When center or approach tells me to advise when ready to copy holding instructions I automatically become a "Lifeguard" flight with a very important organ and surgical team onboard.. (LOL- that was my one weak attempt at sarcasm for the night, I don't really do that)

Depending on the circumstances and forecast I may request delayed vectors or a speed reduction to avoid wasting fuel doing circuits around a hold but usually will just do the hold... We usually get quite a few of them in this neck of the woods during the winter months. MDT, LBE, BUF, CLE just to mention a few are always fun when the wx is right on the ground.


If a hold is anticipated we also will explain that to the pax (if we can see it coming) and give them the choice on whether to depart or wait it out and most pax will want to sit it out on the ground till things start to lift, unfortunately freight dogs usually don't have that choice.



3 5 0

 

[sky37d]

1+ hour.
Didn't have a slot for IFR to OSH on a Sunday, 2 years ago, but read if you arrive before 1200Z, you don't need a reservation. In the air at 0930Z, out of AZO, bound for OSH. I'll be there before 1100Z. Got to MKG, they asked for my STMP code, told them I didn't need one, because I was going to arrive before 1200Z. Got him stumped. He comes back, says Chicago is going to let me proceed. I'm thinking, well of course they will, because I'll be there before 1200Z. I've got things throttled up real well, at 6K, because I want to be there before 1200 Z. About 1/2 across the lake, MKG hands me off to Chicago.

Chicago breaks it to me real gentle. OSH is fogged in, and oh, by the way, there are NO landings before 1200 Z. I get to hold at FAH, 2 minute legs. First response is OH HECK, or words to that effect, then throttle WAY back. no hurry now, then set up to hold at FAH, for 1 hour. They cleared me in, #1 for OSH.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

About 3 hours of holding and 4 approaches trying to get into Pohang, Korea. Ugly day.

 

[HerrJeremy]

About 3 hours of holding and 4 approaches trying to get into Pohang, Korea. Ugly day.

Wow! Hugh wins....

 

[TurboS7]

We just got established in the hold during a checkride and the sim broke...I guess I am still in it.

 

[chqflyer]

1.5hrs holding for BOS last summer while a line of thunderbumpers made a mess of the entire northeast. I was way fat on fuel so never even broke a sweat.