When controllers anticipate a delay at a clearance limit or fix, usually due to a high volume of traffic, weather, or both, pilots are usually issued a holding clearance. A holding pattern is a racetrack-shaped pattern positioned over an assigned fix. Entries to holding patterns are designed to transition you into the hold with a minimum of turning, while keeping you in protected airspace. For the instrument knowledge test you must know when to use the parallel, teardrop, and direct entries. On the flight test, and in real life, you may use any method that keeps you in the protected airspace, and we’ll cover some alternate entry methods in a minute. Holding pattern entries is one of the requirements every six months to maintain instrument proficiency.
Chris caught the aviation bug at the age of seven when he was able to sit in the cockpit of a 737 between flights, thanks to his aunt working at a large airline. Countless balsa wood flyers and multi-stage rockets later, he enrolled in the Aviation Technology Program at the University of Cincinnati and successfully turned a fascination into a career. “One of my most memorable flights was flying my dad to a local airport with a restaurant just off the ramp known for their generously portioned ribs. I’ll never forget that day with passenger #1.” As the Director of Search Marketing at Sporty’s, Chris is tasked with managing online advertising and search engine optimization but he still loves to search for new products.
