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Civil / Airliner45 min lesson
Holding Pattern Entry & Execution
You will determine the correct entry, fly a precise holding pattern with proper timing and wind correction, and exit on clearance.
About this lesson
Holding patterns trip up everyone — the entry logic, the timing, the wind correction. Your tutor assigns holds at random fixes and coaches you through the mental model until entries become instinctive.
Why a human tutor? Holding entries are spatial reasoning under workload. A tutor assigns random holds and catches your entry errors before you fly the wrong way.
What you'll learn
- ✓The three entry types — direct, teardrop, parallel
- ✓Determining entry type from any inbound course
- ✓Standard and non-standard holding — which way to turn
- ✓Wind correction on inbound and outbound legs
- ✓Timing adjustments for correct one-minute legs
Prerequisites
- •Basic instrument navigation
- •Familiarity with heading indicator and OBS/CDI
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Prep material
Read these guides before your lesson — you'll get more out of the session.