Drift correction in the hold

ICAO document PANS-OPS 8168 specifies:

“All procedures depict tracks and pilots should attempt to maintain the track by making allowance for known wind
by applying corrections to both heading and timing during entry and while flying in the holding pattern.”

(Part IV para. 1.2.3, Jeppesen ATC p242)

Lateral Correction

A crosswind component is invariably encountered in the hold. You can determine the drift correction angle
(“Single Drift”) by the difference between the heading required to maintain the inbound track and the inbound
track itself.

However, it is not sufficient merely to parallel the inbound leg when flying outbound, since the aircraft will suffer
drift during both the outbound and inbound turns.

This drift must be compensated for by flying a further correction on the outbound leg. Mathematically, it can be
shown that the perfect correction is between double- and triple-drift (the semantics need not concern us, but may
explain disagreement between instructors!).

In practice, apply “generous” double-drift on the outbound leg. The use of a 30 gate confirms whether the
correction has been sufficient (or otherwise). If, as the outbound time approaches you have not bumped into the
gate, turn to intercept it; if the gate is reached early, fly out along it. (Be careful if you are using an RBI: the gate
will NOT be at 30 relative bearing to the aircraft when you are applying a drift correction – you are looking for a
specific QDR!)

In very strong winds (exceeding 30 kts ), the gate will need to be adjusted:

For strong opening winds close the gate to 20

A complete explanation of the derivation of the 30 gate is attached. The technique can also be used for flying
racetrack approach patterns.

You can minimize your workload by using NAV 2 to set the gate, leaving NAV 1 with the inbound track selected.

The inbound turn can be monitored by checking the deflection of the CDI / RBI. Ideally, they should be:

@ 90 to the inbound track CDI : Full scale deflection

Remember, for the RBI if the needle is too far ahead, the inbound is too far ahead – you are undershooting - and of
course, vice versa. The CDI is perhaps more intuitive.
Timing Correction

Although PANS-OPS 8168 does not specify outbound timings for holding patterns, it does specify times for the
outbound portions of hold entry procedures. Where the outbound leg is not defined by a DME distance or limiting
radial, common sense suggests that these timings should be applied in the hold itself because:

a) They guarantee obstacle clearance by keeping the aircraft within the protected area of the hold;
b) They ensure a sufficient length of time to establish correctly on the inbound track;
c) They allow EAT’s / OCT’s to be met

Again, remember that the aircraft drifts throughout the holding pattern. This means correcting only for the drift
experienced on the outbound leg is insufficient. Nothing can be done to offset the drift during the turns, so the
only opportunity to correct is by adjusting the length of time flown on the outbound leg.

There are many methods for adjusting the timing; the following method is the simplest and most accurate and
does not require an uncorrected hold to be flown first. (Mathematically, it can be proven to be accurate to within
about 5% - an acceptable error of about 10 seconds; experience confirms that it works!)

In still air the aircraft should simultaneously complete the outbound turn and arrive abeam the facility one minute
after commencing the outbound turn.

If there is a down-pattern wind*, the aircraft will arrive abeam the facility before one minute has elapsed and the
turn is completed. The stronger the wind, the earlier the aircraft will be abeam the facility. (Rule of Thumb: At 120
Knots, each second early represents about 1 knot of wind)

To correct for the drift, fly outbound from the abeam position for the same period that had elapsed as you passed
abeam the facility.

For example, assume an elapsed time of 0:40 seconds as the aircraft flies abeam the facility. From that moment,
fly on a further 0:40 seconds (i.e to a total elapsed time of 1:20 from overhead the facility) before turning inbound.
This correction will ensure that the total elapsed time for the hold is 4:00 and the inbound leg a minimum of 1:00.

There is no need to reset the watch as you pass abeam; simply double the elapsed time in your head and make a
note that this is the time to turn inbound.

This procedure is entirely compliant with PANS-OPS requirements for timing.

We suggest that if you are using NAV 2 for the gate, it is very simple to set an “abeam” gate as you turn outbound,
to achieve accurate timing. The TO / FROM flag may be less reliable. Don’t forget to set the 30 gate once you’ve
passed abeam.

If you are using an RBI – be slightly careful – although your results will be satisfactory, be aware that there is dip
and turning error, which may affect the indicator readings. Eventually you will “calibrate” the instrument.

* Terminal holds associated with racetrack letdowns will usually have a down pattern wind, but
this is not always the case. The method works for wind in the other direction equally well.
Remember course-reversal holds for base- or procedure- turn approaches will often have an up-
pattern wind.
Holding “Gate” explanation
Facility
B

A
C

“Gate”

A standard hold flown in still air will be flown as shown in the diagram. Radius of turn is given accurately by:
2
r = V / g.Tan . Distance between outbound and inbound is 2r (or the diameter of turn)

 is the bank angle – in this case that required for Rate 1 – approximated by TAS/10 + 5

At 120 knots, the radius of the turns will be 4170ft. This means that the outbound track will be displaced about 1.3
NM from the inbound, shown “A” in the diagram.

The bearing of the end of the outbound leg can be calculated by trigonometry (Tan = A/B)

At 120 KTAS,  is approximately 34. This reduces slightly as speed is reduced.

For the practical purposes this means that the outbound “gate” for Category A and B aircraft is at approximately
30 to the outbound track across the hold.

By trigonometry, the relative bearing to the facility half way around the inbound turn (“the 90 check”) will be 76
(ie 14 ahead of “abeam”).

For a VOR hold, this means that the CDI will still be at full scale deflection; the RBI indicating around 10 “lead”
(remember turning error).

Similar gates are easily estimated for racetrack let-downs using the 1 in 60 rule and the rule of thumb that (at
speeds below 150 kts) turn diameter (in Nautical Miles) at rate 1 is approximately 1% of TAS.

Eg the gate for an 8 nm pattern at 120 KTAS will be:

Distance off inbound = 1.2 NM

Assume an aircraft is flying a still air hold at 120 knots.

The length of both the inbound and outbound legs will be 2 NM (1:00 @ 2NM / minute).
2
If we now apply to this aircraft a 20 knot down-pattern wind, it will drift /3 NM during the outbound and inbound
2
turns. Ignoring the effect of the drift during the outbound leg, this will mean an inbound leg 2 /3 NM long, which
flown at a groundspeed of 100 Knots, requires a time of 1:36.

Since we cannot shorten the time spent in the turns, the only way to ensure that the total time for the hold is 4:00
is to shorten the outbound leg to make up the loss. The time available for the outbound is simply calculated:

4:00 minus

1:00 outbound turn + 1:00 inbound turn + 1:36 inbound leg = 3:36

This leaves only 0:24 available for the outbound leg from the end of the outbound turn.

Using the “time to abeam” method we can see that the time from overhead to abeam the facility will be
approximately 0:40 seconds, giving a total time to the end of the outbound leg of 1:20.

In other words, we have flown 0:20 from the end of the outbound turn….perfect!