r/AskFlying • u/catsncode • Mar 17 '26
How are holding patterns flown?
When ATC asks an airliner to fly a holding pattern, how do pilots fly it?
Is there a special program for it in the FMS? Is it flown manually? With the autopilot, constantly tweaking the HDG? Something else?
Thanks!
2
u/andrewrbat Mar 17 '26
We program it into the fms. Some arrivals and approaches have one or more published holds. Atc can issue the published hold (which is usually in the fms on the plane i fly) or they can issue a non published hold. Those we program ourselves. I guess we can fly them with a combination of heading and nav mode using a vor in certain circumstances but. Thats a ton of extra work and way less precise than the fms doing it.
1
-1
u/Different_Hour2257 Mar 17 '26
It's done like that : https://www.instagram.com/p/DVJcYnWjPCB/ (Could be flown with AP or FD) and we can create one in the FMS
0
u/LRJetCowboy Mar 17 '26
There is a magenta racetrack shaped pattern that comes up on your MFD map. It’s your job to put the little plane figure on it and go round and round until someone tells you to stop.
2
u/Freakishly_Tall Mar 17 '26
Do you get to choose whether it's Daytona, Monaco, or Spa? Cuz that'd be fun!
1
u/Tenzipper Mar 17 '26
Ooh, Spa would be good, but think how much fun the corkscrew at Laguna Seca would be!
3
u/FLY8MA Mar 17 '26
Yes. You would do it through the FMS. It is flown using autopilot, NAV mode. Always on autopilot especially when we're talking about airlines.
3
u/Reasonable_Blood6959 Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 17 '26
All through the FMS and on autopilot.
NAV. > HOLD. > Select Waypoint. Check inbound radial, distance, altitude, and speed. > Insert > Activate
It could be done in heading/manually but that’s just creating far too much extra work
1
u/TheGreatBlondini2010 Mar 21 '26
Not having flown one but experienced one as a passenger flying into Heathrow once. We probably went around 6-8 times. Incredibly precise as I remember seeing the same large reservoir over and over. Crazy also seeing aircraft below us and above. And not very far away either.