I want to create the most realistic hold but I'm not sure about some of the things and need some professional help.Below is an example of a hold at BIGGIN (BIG) at Heathrow I've input the hold and correct me but of INBD CRS/DIR would be 123/R. What about LEG TIME and LEG DIST how do I calculate this. How do real life pilots do this?http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/200/fmc9mm.jpg

The inbound course at BIG is 303 according to your chart. According to the box to the upper right below FL150 you need to limit speed to 220. You need to LSK them into the HOLD page since what I see is not matching. You might also need FLAPS 1 or so.This will become a holding fix on your legs page and you may need to correct a discontinuity after EXEC if the fix was not in your plan.The aircraft will automaticly enter ther hold. At that time an EXIT HOLD prompt will appear that you can LSK and EXEC when you are ready to leave it. If not inbound it will complete the existing pattern or immediately go direct to the fix until inbound and then continue on course.Now I have not done this yet but I'm reading another FMC manual regarding this. This author recommends adding 20 knots to the best speed entry to guard against stall in a clean configuration if warranted.

In the USA At or below 14,000 feet the inbound leg will be 1 minute long. Above 14,000 feet the inbound leg will be 1-1/2 minutes long.I think this is the same for the UK.

>In the USA At or below 14,000 feet the inbound leg will be 1>minute long. Above 14,000 feet the inbound leg will be 1-1/2>minutes long.>>I think this is the same for the UK.>>I have every chart on my laptop, and they can't even put that on it??Lol, I have to remember more and more with this sim.. Its getting difficult ;)Thanks for the info.

Here's a real newbie question.Does the FMC automatically keep you flying around in a racetrack shaped holding pattern if you instruct it to? Is it complicated to set up?Sounds like a pretty handy feature. Thanks for any help.

yes it does, once you define the holding fix and the pattern you want it to fly.there's a flowchart on using the hold function at my website. goto http://www.metzair.com and click on the link for th flight simulation page.Best wishes.

Yep, as mentioned 303R would be the inbound CRS/DIR. That hold would be the standard 1 min legs,but some are different and will be mentioned on the chart,the willow hold into Gatwick for example is 5 mile legs and so you would need to enter this manually.With regard to holding speeds 220kts as mentioned on the chart there would be the flaps up bug speed in a 747 if your landing weight was 240-243,000kg if you are anything above this which you normally are then just sneek a few knots to keep clean.We would typically hold at 225kts without saying anything to ATC they aren`t going to notice,anything more just ask ATC and they will accomodate it no problem.You dont want to be holding for any length of time with flaps out because its uneconomical,but much more importantly the wing anti ice system wont work once you have flaps 1 out so you are in danger of iceing up if you are in iceing conditionsregardsJon

Thanks for all the information.

Good point about the icing and flaps. Thanks. This could be especially important in "weather holds".