Instrument Approach Procedures and Holding Patterns
What this domain tests
Flying published procedures exactly: holding entries and timing, approach segments, minima, and the missed approach.
Holding
Standard holding is right turns, a 1-minute inbound leg at or below 14,000 ft and 1½ minutes above, with maximum holding speeds of 230 KIAS up to 14,000 ft and 265 KIAS above. Correct for wind by timing the outbound leg so the inbound leg is the correct length, and by crabbing outbound. Entries are direct, parallel or teardrop, decided by the angle between your heading at the fix and the outbound course, relative to the direction of turns.
Approaches
An approach has arrival, initial, intermediate, final and missed approach segments. Precision approaches use a decision altitude; non-precision approaches use a minimum descent altitude and a missed approach point. Do not descend below MDA without the required visual reference; at DA you must be able to continue visually or go around. Circling minima apply when the runway is not aligned with the approach.
Worked example
Holding on the 090 radial, inbound course 270°, outbound 090°, right turns. You arrive at the fix tracking 360°. The outbound course lies 90° to the right of your heading and the turns are right, so the outbound course is on the holding side and within the teardrop band (70°–110°): fly a teardrop. Turn left to 330° (outbound course minus 30°), fly one minute, then turn right through 210° to roll out on the 270° inbound course and expect the fix at 1 minute.
Traps
Applying the teardrop and parallel sectors to the wrong side of the pattern; timing the outbound leg instead of correcting for wind; descending below MDA without visual reference; confusing DA with MDA; forgetting the missed approach must be briefed before the final approach fix.