Holds

Not available in the Stable Version

Overview

Holding patterns, as they are officially known, can be used as a delaying tactic for airborne aircraft. Typically holding patterns have a racetrack pattern that 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?

Holds are always used to delay aircraft near a navigational fix in certain airspace. There are a lot of reasons airplanes might need to hold, some more common examples are:

• Bad weather passing over the airport
• Traffic
• To lose energy in the plane (altitude or speed)
• To burn of fuel

Sometimes holds are used because of topographical constraints, Innsbruck-Kranebitten International Airport (LOWI) is a good example of such constraint because is situated in a vally as can be seen in the picture below.

Preparing the hold

Aircraft can technically hold at any waypoint, if given permission by ATC in advance. 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 consideration. 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 holds can be published displayed in a diagram in one of the corners of the main navigation section on 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*
5. Maximum airspeed*

*There are standards for length of legs and airspeeds that have to be respected if no other information is present on the chart. The standards are published in Hold Standards.

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

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

Example charts to aquire hold information

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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.

Lorum ipsum

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

Hold Standards

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 that 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

12345Last Exit678

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 information can be wrong, and can be edited by overwriting the computed information.

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 restore all hold settings and revert back to the computed hold 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.

Holds need to be entered in diffrent ways with diffrent inbound courses. The A320 will automatically fly the correct entering pattern.

As soon as the aircraft is heading to the waypoint with the hold programmed the hold will be calculated and completely shown on the ND.

When the aircraft passes the hold fix for the first time (entering the hold) the airplane will fly at green dot speed. The green dot speed is the speed at which the A320 can stay airborne while using the minimum amount of fuel per hour making.

Also, the F-PLN page on the MCDU will now show IMM EXIT*. This is needed when leaving the hold.

Desending in the hold

Altitude changes are done with the vertical speed mode set at 1000 ft/min. This is to make sure all aircraft are spaced out enough to comply with spacing safety standards/

The TCAS system should remain on TA/RA when flying in the hold, however it might be convenient to switch to ALL or BLW.

Leaving the hold

The plane will continue to fly in the hold until a pilot gives the command to the FMS to leave. During the hold the F-PLN page will display IMM EXIT in amber. To leave the hold all a pilot has to do is to press the LSK right of the IMM EXIT. The amber text will now change in RESUME HOLD. When RESUME HOLD is displayed the aircraft will complete the remaining hold lap and continue its flightplan when it reaches the hold fix again.

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Last update: April 12, 2022