FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA)IFR Procedures and ChartsMedium
A pilot is holding at a VOR fix at 9,000 feet MSL in a standard, non-DME holding pattern. According to standard holding pattern criteria, what is the maximum outbound leg time the pilot should fly?
- A3 minutes
- B1.5 minutes
- C1 minute
- D2 minutes
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. 1 minute
For standard holding patterns, outbound leg timing is 1 minute at or below 14,000 feet MSL and 1.5 minutes above 14,000 feet MSL. Since the aircraft is holding at 9,000 feet, the 1-minute leg applies.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 3 minutes is not a standard holding leg time.
- B. 1.5-minute legs apply only above 14,000 feet MSL.
- D. 2 minutes is not a standard holding leg time.
Standard Holding Leg Length
In non-DME holding patterns, outbound leg timing is 1 minute at or below 14,000 feet MSL and 1.5 minutes above 14,000 feet MSL.
- Inbound leg is timed by design; outbound is adjusted to achieve it
- DME holding uses distance instead of time
- Wind correction is applied on the outbound leg to standardize the inbound leg
Memory trick: Below 14, one-minute gate; above, add a half