Maximum holding airspeed
The maximum holding airspeed for your altitude from the AIM table (200, 230, or 265 KIAS), or a published limit, with a flag when your planned speed is above it.
Planning and education aid. Not for primary navigation. Full disclaimer
Experimental: not yet fully verified. How results are checked
The maximum holding speed is 230 kt (AIM table 5-3-1, 6,001 ft through 14,000 ft). Your planned speed is above it.
- Caution:240 kt is above the 230 kt limit (AIM table 5-3-1, 6,001 ft through 14,000 ft). Slow down 3 minutes before the fix (AIM 5-3-8).
- Basis
- Planned speed
Provenance
- Computed by
- aviation.ifr.hold-speed-limit 1.0.0, core 0.1.0
- Model
- AIM table 5-3-1: 200 KIAS through 6,000 ft, 230 KIAS from 6,001 to 14,000 ft, 265 KIAS above; a published limit on the chart overrides
- Accuracy
- Reference data as of the AIM edition cited. Military fields and some procedures use other limits; the chart and ATC govern.
- Notes
- 2 shown with the answer
- Cites
- Federal Aviation Administration, Aeronautical Information Manual
Something look off?
How we got thisFormula, worked example, sources, and proof
Model: AIM table 5-3-1: 200 KIAS through 6,000 ft, 230 KIAS from 6,001 to 14,000 ft, 265 KIAS above; a published limit on the chart overrides
Accuracy: Reference data as of the AIM edition cited. Military fields and some procedures use other limits; the chart and ATC govern.
Worked example: Holding at 8,000 ft planning 240 KIAS. Source: AIM 5-3-8 table 5-3-1: 230 KIAS from 6,001 ft through 14,000 ft.
You enter
- Holding altitude
- 8000 ft
- Planned airspeed
- 240 kt
You get
- Maximum holding airspeed
- 230 kt
- Basis
- AIM table 5-3-1, 6,001 ft through 14,000 ft
- Planned speed
- above the limit
Review: Not yet independently reviewed by a flight instructor (CFI).
Last verified: 2026-09-23, when a maintainer last confirmed this tool's sources at the issuer. See the sources ledger.
Status: version 1.0.0, core 0.1.0. See this tool in the verification report.
Checked against: 6 golden test vectors (download the test vectors, each with its source and tolerance). See how results are checked and every source.
Sources
- Aeronautical Information Manual, Federal Aviation Administration, Current edition (rules as of 2026-09-18). Chapter 5, Section 3, paragraph 5-3-8j (holding: entry procedures, FIG 5-3-4, and maximum holding airspeeds, TBL 5-3-24). Read free.
Experimental means this tool has not yet met the stable bar: at least 20 golden vectors, differential tests, and an independent worked example.
Learn the concept: Holding pattern entries explained