Flying the Hold
Once the entry is complete and you're in the racetrack, two disciplines keep the pattern clean: the 5 Ts (a checklist run at every fix and at every turn so nothing is forgotten) and timing with wind correction (the goal is a 1-minute inbound leg every lap, achieved by stretching or shortening the outbound leg and applying the triple-drift rule on heading). Both are mechanical once you've practiced them; the workload only feels high until they become reflexive.
The 5 Ts — at every fix and turn
Every time you cross the holding fix or complete a turn (entering inbound or completing outbound), run the 5 Ts in order. They cover every action you might forget under workload.
- T — Turn to the appropriate heading.
- T — Time — start the clock. 1 min inbound below 14,000 MSL; 1.5 min above.
- T — Twist — set the OBS / CDI to the inbound course (tail of the needle to the radial when tracking from; head of the needle to the bearing when tracking to).
- T — Toggle — switch nav source (VLOC / GPS / OBS) as required.
- T — Talk — report as required (entering hold, leaving hold, etc. — see comms & reports).
The order matters: turn first because the airplane needs to be on the right heading before you fuss with the clock and the OBS. Time second so you don't lose seconds while you're nav-twisting. Twist and toggle while flying the new heading. Talk last because radio work is the lowest-priority task in the sequence.
Timing — the inbound leg is the target
The whole point of the timing system: make the inbound leg exactly 1 minute (1.5 min above 14,000 MSL). Outbound timing is the variable you adjust to make that happen.
- Goal: inbound leg = 1 min (or 1.5 min above 14,000 MSL).
- Start outbound timing when you're abeam the fix, or when wings are level outbound if you can't determine when you're abeam.
- The first lap is for diagnosing the wind. If your inbound leg comes out at 45 sec, the wind is pushing you toward the fix on the inbound; your next outbound leg should be 1 min 15 sec to compensate.
- Conversely, if your inbound was 1 min 15 sec (wind pushing you away from the fix on the inbound), shorten the next outbound to 45 sec.
Trainers sometimes get this backwards. Remember: inbound is what you're tuning. The outbound is whatever it needs to be.
Wind correction — the triple drift rule
If you're correcting for wind on the inbound leg (with a wind correction angle), the outbound leg needs three times that correction in the opposite direction. Why three:
- The outbound leg is shorter than the full lap, so a given drift correction has less time to take effect.
- You're crossing the wind through both turns, doubling the lateral wind effect.
- Empirically, the 3:1 ratio is the FAA-published rule of thumb. Memorize it.
Example: holding inbound on 360°, observed inbound WCA is 5° right (i.e., heading 005° to track 360°). Outbound, you'd fly 180° + (3 × 5°) opposite the inbound correction = 180° − 15° = 165° heading.
"Triple drift, opposite direction." That's the entire technique.
What "abeam" means and how to time without it
Abeam = the moment you're directly opposite the holding fix on your outbound leg. With a VOR or TACAN as the holding fix and a working DME or position needle, abeam is determinable: the needle swings through 90° from your inbound course (or your DME shows the maximum range from the fix).
If you can't determine abeam — typical for an intersection-only fix or with degraded equipment — start outbound timing when the wings are level after the outbound turn. The FAA accepts this; ATC doesn't grade entry timing precision.