Common Holding Errors

Its common for a student with whom Im flying for the first time to ask if he/she needs to fly a full turn around the holding pattern, or if its okay to continue inbound on the approach once intercepting the inbound course. Controllers expect you to continue inbound from the hold entry without flying a complete circuit of the holding pattern. Its not a hard-and-fast rule, but courtesy demands telling controllers you will not continue inbound and will instead circle in the hold if for any reason youre not ready to continue inbound immediately from the hold entry.

Key Takeaways:

• Controllers expect pilots to continue inbound on an approach immediately from a holding pattern entry, without completing a full circuit, unless the pilot notifies ATC they are not ready or properly configured.
• Common errors in holding patterns include confusing inbound and outbound headings, incorrectly attempting to intercept the inbound course while flying the unguided outbound leg, and mismanaging the timing of the outbound leg.

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