Hiya Guys,I have tried three times to instigate holding patterns at my favourite airport of EGAC (Belfast City) and also at Manchester EGCC. I have ensured that "holding" is ticked in the "general" section. However nothing happens. I just receive vectors to final as usual. I am flying regional flights in the Majestic Dash 8, cruising altitiude 200. Am I missing something? Is there anything else I need to do? I did read somewhere either on the forum on in the manual that if you choose holding then you will always be held.Cheers,rory

last checkpoint has to be a vor, and it has to be within 5 miles of the arrival airportpage 52 of the manualRadial/DME Crossing Restrictions (above) require final checkpoint to be a VORTAC. Ifyour final checkpoint is something other than a VORTAC (waypoint, intersection, NDB etc.),and even if this final checkpoint is closer than five miles from the arrival airport, you will getone of the two following crossing restrictions:

Rory,I'm afraid, because of the requirement for the last waypoint to be a VOR within 5nm of the airport, you'll never be given a hold inbound EGAC. The nearest VOR that I can think of is the BEL which must be about 12 miles away so of no use whatsoever in this case.If you're puzzled by such an unrealistic requirement in a program such as Radar Contact, you must understand that it goes back to the early years of RC when very few, if any, Flight Sim users flew aircraft with some form of RNAV. In those days, the only way for most sim pilots to fly the type of hold required by RC was to use a VOR/DME. Now, I don't think that I'm giving away any secrets if I tell you that there has recently been a considerable amount of discussion amongst the Beta Team about this very point. Only jd can say whether or not it will change in v5, or any future version for that matter, but be assured, it's been "flagged". ;-) There is a simple workaround for EGCC - just add the MCT as the last waypoint in any flight plans with that destination. Although unrealistic in real-world flight planning terms, it will work perfectly in RC and has the added advantage of giving you a better descent clearance level restriction - try it and see what the controller says.As far as Sydenham (it'll always be that or Belfast Harbour to me - is it true they're now calling it George Best Belfast (City) airport?) goes, the only option I can think of is to put a fake VOR on the airfield. There are a number of scenery programs - both freeware and payware - that will allow you to do this and it's a very straightforward process. I guess it just depends on how much you want to fly holds at EGAC. :)Please pass on my best wishes to "Yvette" at Le Candide.Pete

Many thanks for the replies Chaps. JD, I'm sorry and shouldve read the faq more closely. Pete, will do! Pity she couldnt sing like Monique too!Rory