Hold Entry Drill

Pick the AIM recommended entry. Keys: 1 / D direct, 2 / T teardrop, 3 / P parallel, Enter for the next hold.

--Accuracy

0Holds

0Streak

0Best

--Avg time

Format

Turns

Display

Sectors

---°

heading, direct to the fix

Direct Teardrop Parallel Your track

Read the clearance, find the inbound course and the side the pattern is on, then decide where your heading puts you. The debrief shows the math and the track.

Sector reference (AIM 5-3-8)

Find the inbound course to the fix. On a VOR radial, inbound course is the radial plus or minus 180. No turn direction in the clearance means standard right turns.
Measure from the inbound course to your heading, counting in the direction of the turns (clockwise for right turns, counterclockwise for left).
0 to 110 or 290 to 360: Direct. Cross the fix and turn in the holding direction to the outbound heading.
110 to 180: Teardrop. Cross the fix, fly outbound 30 degrees off the outbound course toward the holding side, then turn in the holding direction to intercept inbound.
180 to 290: Parallel. Cross the fix, fly the outbound heading on the non-holding side, then turn toward the holding side more than 180 degrees to intercept inbound or return to the fix.
The boundary between direct and the other two is the 70 degree line through the fix. Within about 5 degrees of a boundary, either entry is acceptable; this drill keeps its headings clear of the lines.
Outbound leg is 1 minute at or below 14,000 ft MSL, 1.5 minutes above.