When's The Last Time You Had To Hold?

[Alchemy]

January 31, 2005. KAWSE intersection on the Gland Arrival into IAH. Reason: IAH shutdown due to thunderstorm.

First time I've ever done a hold outside the training environment. I think I had to push 5 buttons on the FMS. That's a lot of work.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Today on the way into PHX.

 

[bobbysamd]

Holding

I have received only two real holds. One was with a student at Drake VOR in PRC in 1989. It was very simple, a direct entry to the published hold. What made it interesting is ERAU placed tremendous emphasis on obtaining EFC times for clearances and the controller did not give us an EFC time. My student received the clearance but then I piped up and asked ATC for the EFC time. A great example of applying training to real conditions.

The only other time was near MLB in 1992. My instrument students and I were returning to VRB on a clearance and a thunderstorm arrived over the field. ATC gave us a DME hold with a direct entry. Very simple.

Not that I have so much experience with holding, but I believe that ATC tries to make holding and holding entries simple instead of the complicated stuff a good instrument instructor will provide.

 

[satpak77]

I held for 45 minutes while Toluca/MMTO figured out why their runway lights went out for no reason

that was a few nights ago

alternate was Acapulco so either way it would have worked out



Last year I held over ABL-NDB at 14,000 for 20 minutes also

alternate was SKCL, glad we got into destination

 

[91100 100 set]

I probably get a hold about once every two weeks, but almost daily you can count on speed restrictions, vectors for spacing, etc.

I always wonder about the national airspace system when the following occurs: You get a delay with an EDC time on the ground. Then they slow you down enroute, then they take you off the route for spacing, then clear you direct to the "handoff fix" (I don't know the official ATC term for this, I sure some controller could inform us, but it's the fix where center will usually hand you off to the approach facility). But before you get there, they tell you "New York/Boston/Philly/etc. has stopped arrivals, advise ready to copy holding instructions". So you hold for awhile. Approach finally takes you, but before too long you're getting a tour of the Mass, CT, or PA on vectors with approach. Meanwhile, you are watching the fuel tick down ten pounds at a time, wondering exactly what you'd do if the radios go dark. I realize that complete, honest to goodness lost comm situations are rare in part 25 aircraft these days (save for the occasional "oops, I don't know how the headset audio get turned down"), but I always wonder how much mayhem would occur at center and approach if somebody was honestly lost comm going to LaGuardia.

 

[Wasted]

Last month going into EWR waiting for rvr to come up to 1200'.

 

[ProLine4]

ATL multiple times over the past few weeks. Before that, a few times on the arrivals into DFW whenever there were TSRAs, low IMC, or they were switching flow directions.

 

[Alchemy]

Woohoo, 3 different holds in 1 hour going into EWR today. 250 knots the whole way over from YYZ.

 

[JimNtexas]

When I was an EF-111A EWO in England we got held in huge stack at the IAF everytime the field was IFR. It was an impressive sight. One time a friend of mine was holding in an F-111E, driving the airplane with the autopilot heading bug. The pilot pulled the throttles back just a bit on every turn. On the last turn the airplane departed controlled flight as soon as the turn started and tumbled down through the stack. The crew got out via the capsule. The whole fleet got a stick pusher mod as a result of this accident.

I got a hold in my GA airplane not too long ago. I few from Austin to Mustang Beach Airport on the Gulf Coast on a Saturday. A low stratus cloud had come in off the gulf. I called ATC and asked for IFR into Aransas Pass, which has an NDB. I got put into a stack with 3 airplanes under me, just like we used to do in England. It was my first IMC NDB approach. The weather was somthing like 400/1. I was glad for my handheld GPS.

 

[Palmtree Pilot]

This morning on the way into BWI. Apparently Patomac lost radar coverage, and kept everyone out. Finally made it to the PXT 023/18 and made one turn, "right turn D-> BWI."


PtP

 

[TurboS7]

Usually have to hold at least 2 to 3 times a month. The 738 makes it very easy and really comes to pushing a few right buttons. No big deal as long as you have plenty of fuel.

 

[Prof. ATP]

Last year at Jackson Hole I think we entered holding at FL370 with 20 or so planes below us. It's interesting trying to stay on course while cutting across a 90kt jetstream.

There are lots of areas in the Rockies that are below radar coverage, and it is not unusual to have to hold until the airplanes ahead of you get in. This is the case at JAC, SUN, TWF, PIH, and IDA.

I was in the j/s once somewhere in Iowa headed to Boston at 370 in a 757 when we had to hold. Some center up ahead had closed itself to all inbounds due to weather

 

[flyguy75000]

Most out in SoCal today had to hold..........at one point there were 12 or 13 I think stacked over Thermal up to FL250....some got into TRM, others waited and waited and waited and finally got into PSP..I think one of our Falcons held for 2.5 hrs, persistent yet patient pax, I guess. At least I got to b.s. with Sammy Hagar for a while over at TRM while he waited for his ride. Very Cool and down to earth guy, but Roth will always be Van Halen.

Has it been like this out there all week?

 

[T-Gates]

Last time I held, aside from a PC, was Evansville, IN last summer at about 3am waiting for the vis to come up for the ILS. Before that I did plenty of holds in my stint at Pinnacle... A few into DTW, but most were into MSP in the evening. About the time MSP gets the "Bimidji Barrage" of Queen Airs and 99's.

 

[ShadowFlight]

Last August going into MSP during the midday "rush". Center said hold over EAU for flow and we weren't even done with the outbound leg when cleared direct TWINZ. Never once held flying 135 cargo in the Carolinas (very fortunate).

Peace

SF

 

[BlueLight]

So just to break up the routine, try flying the hold inverted... now let's see.... are standard turns still 'standard' when updside down?.... stick forward - nose up... may create some interesting radio calls from the stack above and below you (while above (or below?) the cloud deck) trying to figure out if their AI is going bad...

 

[Grumman guy]

holds

give me a right 360 and I will get back to you in a moment, while getting vectors for the ILS 27R into OAK. Only hold I have ever gotten

 

[Kream926]

today.........but i dont think it counts when you ask for it

 

[FracCapt]

When was the last time YOU got given a holding instruction? Where were you, and why did you have to hold? And we're not talking about bladders here gentleman.

Last week...going into TEX. Numerous inbounds, given holding instructions at ETL. 2 in the stack below us.

Three weeks ago while going into EWR. Put in a hold about 100 miles west on an arrival due to traffic saturation. Clear blue skies, calm wind.

A few more over the past year. Probably 6 holds in the past 12 months. Most of them while waiting on another airplane(or many planes) are ahead of us on approaches to non-radar airports.