Current on all but "holding"

[Dr. Bill]

Coming up on 6 months since I got the rating, and I notice I'm not having any trouble staying legally current with the exception of 'holding'. I'm gonna look at the reg, but in grasping for a straw, the thought occurs to me - does it specifically say that the hold has to be done while IMC (simulated or actual) conditions exist? (I'll relply here soon as I find it.) I find that most of my IMC time occurs solo, as my wife doesn't like the "bumpy cloudy days". Can it be done in VMC?

Since I've never been given a hold, it seems like this is probably going to be a recurrent theme in my future checks for currency. Do you all have the same problem? Do you address it by asking for a hold when your IMC, or do you more often have to get a safety pilot and get it done?

 

[Dr. Bill]

Found it. Can't do it VMC.

61.57(c)(1)(ii).

Duh.

 

[poadeleted20]

Keep in mind that a holding pattern in lieu of procedure turn on an instrument approach procedure counts for this.

 

[Bill]

Keep in mind that a holding pattern in lieu of procedure turn on an instrument approach procedure counts for this.

Yup, there is a local NDB approach with a HilPT, and it is a 3-fer, you get intercept and tracking of nav, a hold, and an approach. Good bang for the $.

 

[tonycondon]

i take my students up in actual and make them do NDB holds... :evilgrin:

 

[EdFred]

The way I set up my 6 and 1 is that I find an approach that will require me to do a hold. I try and do 1 or 2 ILS approaches, and if only 1 ILS, a back course for the opposite runway, then a combination of VOR and GPS approaches for the other four. On at least one of them I will fly a hold on the approach, or a hold on the missed.

So, I get a little cross country, some radial interception, some glide slope, some step downs, some procedure turns, at least one hold, some reverse sensing, and of course six approaches.

 

[Dr. Bill]

The way I set up my 6 and 1 is that I find an approach that will require me to do a hold. I try and do 1 or 2 ILS approaches, and if only 1 ILS, a back course for the opposite runway, then a combination of VOR and GPS approaches for the other four. On at least one of them I will fly a hold on the approach, or a hold on the missed.

So, I get a little cross country, some radial interception, some glide slope, some step downs, some procedure turns, at least one hold, some reverse sensing, and of course six approaches.

Ed, YOU DA MAN! That's quite a bit. When I'm flyin', it's usually for transportation; and thusly my usual goal is to get back on the ground as soon as possible... So I'm left with doing the 'things', but not "practicing" them. Just gotta fly more, that's all there is to it...

 

[Dr. Bill]

Keep in mind that a holding pattern in lieu of procedure turn on an instrument approach procedure counts for this.

Now that's a great idea!

Thanks, Cap'n!

 

[Bill]

The way I set up my 6 and 1 is that I find an approach that will require me to do a hold. I try and do 1 or 2 ILS approaches, and if only 1 ILS, a back course for the opposite runway, then a combination of VOR and GPS approaches for the other four. On at least one of them I will fly a hold on the approach, or a hold on the missed.

So, I get a little cross country, some radial interception, some glide slope, some step downs, some procedure turns, at least one hold, some reverse sensing, and of course six approaches.

I split mine into two flights, getting three apps each. I'll go out 1st flight, get an NDB with HilPT, and fly the missed with one lap in the hold, then go do a VOR ARC app to the missed, then vectors to the ILS full stop.

Second flight is three ILS, and traffic permitting, one of them a full app including the outbound and PT.

Each flight is normally ~1hr.

 

[EdFred]

Ed, YOU DA MAN! That's quite a bit. When I'm flyin', it's usually for transportation; and thusly my usual goal is to get back on the ground as soon as possible... So I'm left with doing the 'things', but not "practicing" them. Just gotta fly more, that's all there is to it...

Ah I should clarify this is when I hav to go with a safety pilot and not just an IFR/IMC flight. If I can get my approaches in on a flight/flights, that's gravy, but even then I still go shoot my 6 and 1 at the end of the 6 months with a safety pilot. The airports are close enough around here, that I can get all 6 and 1 done in 1.5

 

[Baron 55]

Ron's idea works great. Also, it is no problem to ask ATC for a hold at some convenient time and place. I've done it a bunch of times with students on cross-countries where we've done just about everything else, we're in IMC, and it's just too good an opportunity.

 

[jdwatson]

Many of the approaches I fly have a hold on the missed. During practice, I just ask ATC for the full approach & the published missed approach.

We have the "Rocky Mount Wringer" originating at KRDU:
1) KETC VOR DME-27, full stop, then out to TYI VOR
2) KRWI VOR/DME-22 partial panel, missed approch
3) KRWI ILS-4 with CTL RWY-22
4) KRWI GPS-4, missed approach
5) KRWI GPS-22 HILPT at FENIM, missed approach to BELGA
6) Either the VOR-32, GPS-32 or one of the ILS-5R,5L,23R,23L back at RDU.

Because of the close proximity of the approaches, there isn't a lot of time in between approaches. Prior planning is key. Stopping at KETC makes it a >50nm X-C. On the way to KETC we usually do airwork: steep turns, stalls, unusual attitudes & etc.

At the end of the session, I'm wrung out. Hence the nickname.

 

[wayne]

I try to work in at least one hold during my IFR practice. Last time I did one at a GPS waypoint and another at a ILS-VOR intersection. Sometimes I'll ask for the published missed which gives you a hold; also gives you time to get set-up for the next approach.

 

[jnmeade]

i take my students up in actual and make them do NDB holds... :evilgrin:

Good for you. The first NDB hold I ever did was on my IFR checkride. I passed because I'd read about it some time earlier and was able to execute it, but it's not the way to do it.

 

[poadeleted20]

Good for you. The first NDB hold I ever did was on my IFR checkride. I passed because I'd read about it some time earlier and was able to execute it, but it's not the way to do it.

If you'd failed, you would have had ample grounds for strangling your instructor for letting you go up for an IR practical test in an ADF-equipped airplane without training on NDB holds.

 

[AdamZ]

Ed Guthrie once recommended an IPC every 6 months. Its a good suggestion. I do it and find I get more out of it than just going up to shoot approaches holds etc.

 

[flyersfan31]

If you'd failed, you would have had ample grounds for strangling your instructor for letting you go up for an IR practical test in an ADF-equipped airplane without training on NDB holds.

Now I know why I had to do a full missed with hold at an NDB during training. I thought my (PIC) instructor was just messing with me. I had threatened to pull the old "inop" trick on the NDB that morning. Fortunately the checkride was not nearly as challenging as my training was. I suppose that's the point.