hello, can someone be kind enough to explain to me how to fly a pattern and hold? or give me a link. thanks a lot.adamYou cant truley understand flying until you have actually tasted and felt it.

Hi,A holding pattern consist of a "race track" style pattern. There's an awful lot to know about them, but they are relatively easy to fly once you learn them. Here's a quick (and I mean quick) crash course. :)A holding pattern is a way to "stand by" while airborne. It can be used to separate traffic, allow for departures, wait for weather to clear up, deal with a loss of radio communications, and so-on.A holding "fix" can be anything that you can identify with your navigation equipment. The "race track" will be anchored to this fix. The most common fixes include: VOR, NDB, intersections, DME distance, or a GPS fix. A holding pattern can be published, or non-published. This means that holds that are published can be found on low or high altitude enroute charts, arrival/ departure procedures, instrument approach plates, and terminal IFR charts. A non published hold might be requested by ATC. The ATC controller will tell the pilot the hold parameters and the pilot is expected to comply with entering and flying the hold as requested.Shown here is the basic summary of how a holding pattern should be flown: http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/40466.jpgThere are airspeed restrictions when flying holding patterns:Below 6000' MSL the max holding speed is 200 Knots indicated.From 6001' MSL up to and including 14,000' MSL it is 230 KIASAbove 14,000, the speed is limited to 265 KIASThere are three ways to enter a holding pattern, depending on which direction you are entering from:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/40469.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/40471.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/40470.jpg There

ChrisExcellent description. Many thanks.

thanksadamYou cant truley understand flying until you have actually tasted and felt it.

You're quite welcome. Did this help at all?

Sweet! I knew just the basics..a racetrack and thats about it. Thanks for the great breakdown Chris!

It helped me as well .... thanks :-lolhttp://album.atomic-systems.com/showPic.ph.../AAV_banner.jpghttp://www.aavirtual.com :)

Terrific description and great illustrations. Being a pilot I already knew about holds, but I was interested to read your topic....