2.12 Holding Procedures

2.12.1 In controlled airspace aircraft may be instructed to hold (in advisory and uncontrolled airspace they may be requested to hold as well):

  1. IFR at any radio facility or fix as determined by navigational aids
    • E.g. VOR/DME which the aircraft is equipped to use; or
  2. VFR to maintain VMC, when so requested by the pilot, at a radio facility or a geographical location when the weather conditions permit.

MINIMUM HOLDING ALTITUDE

2.12.2 The minimum holding altitude shall be as prescribed in the appropriate holding and approach chart.

2.12.3 For holding aircraft en-route the lowest safe IFR flight level must be regarded as the minimum holding level.

HOLDING PROCEDURE

2.12.4 The standard holding procedure shall be accomplished as follows:

  1. a) after arriving over the holding point manoeuvre so as to align the aircraft inbound towards the holding point on the specified inbound track;
  2. b) when again over the holding point execute a 180º rate one turn so as to fly outbound on a track parallel to the specified inbound track;
  3. c) continue outbound for a period of either 1 minute or 2 minutes as specified, or for a specified distance, as appropriate;
  4. d) execute a 180º rate one turn so as to re-align the aircraft on the specified inbound track.

OBSERVANCE OF PRESCRIBED HOLDING PROCEDURES

2.12.5 At facilities for which holding procedures have been published in the charts, aircraft required to hold shall do so in accordance with the published procedures.

2.12.6 If the pilot is not conversant with the following procedures he will ask ATC for details of the pattern and ATC will provide the following information:

  1. magnetic track towards the facility;
  2. direction of turns;
  3. time or distance on outbound leg.
    • E.g. Inbound track 160 degrees magnetic turns to the right, 2 minutes.

HOLDING AT FACILITIES FOR WHICH PROCEDURES HAVE NOT BEEN PUBLISHED

2.12.7 When an ATC requires an aircraft to hold at a facility for which a procedure has not been published he shall specify the procedure to be flown as in (a), (b) and (c) above.

SEPARATION OF HOLDING AIRCRAFT

2.12.8 Holding IFR flights shall be provided with standard separation in Section 6.

HOLDING VFR, OR MAINTAINING VMC AT A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

2.12.9 Aircraft holding VFR, or maintaining VMC at a geographic location are not required to follow a specific pattern. The following RTF phraseology shall be used:-

“Holding maintaining VMC (or hold VFR) at ……. (place) ….. until ……… (time) …..

2.12.10 VFR flights need not be provided with separation but IFR aircraft operating in VMC, unless otherwise requested by pilots concerned, shall be provided with separation.