Holding wind correction and timing
Inbound and outbound headings for the wind, the outbound time that gives a 1-minute inbound leg, and the triple-the-drift rule of thumb beside the exact values.
Planning and education aid. Not for primary navigation. Full disclaimer
Experimental: not yet fully verified. How results are checked
Fly 352° inbound and 205° outbound for 51 s.
- Inbound wind correction
- Outbound heading (triple the drift)
- Outbound heading to hold the track
- Inbound groundspeed
- Outbound groundspeed
- Outbound time
Provenance
- Computed by
- aviation.ifr.hold-wind-timing 1.0.0, core 0.1.0
- Model
- Straight-leg wind triangle on each leg; outbound time = inbound GS × inbound time / outbound GS; the triple-the-drift heading (FAA-H-8083-15B) allows for the turns and is a rule of thumb
- Accuracy
- Exact for straight legs in a steady wind. Wind drift in the turns is not modeled; adjust on the next circuit.
- Notes
- 1 shown with the answer
- Cites
- Federal Aviation Administration, Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-15B; Federal Aviation Administration, Aeronautical Information Manual; Federal Aviation Administration, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C
Something look off?
How we got thisFormula, worked example, sources, and proof
Model: Straight-leg wind triangle on each leg; outbound time = inbound GS × inbound time / outbound GS; the triple-the-drift heading (FAA-H-8083-15B) allows for the turns and is a rule of thumb
Accuracy: Exact for straight legs in a steady wind. Wind drift in the turns is not modeled; adjust on the next circuit.
Worked example: Inbound 360°, 120 KTAS, wind 300° at 20 kt. Source: FAA-H-8083-15B chapter 10 method: correct into the wind inbound, triple it outbound. It is golden test vector v001, and every build checks the tool still gives its answer within its tolerance.
You enter
- Inbound course
- 360 deg
- True airspeed
- 120 kt
- Wind from
- 300 deg
- Wind speed
- 20 kt
You get
- Inbound heading
- 352°
- Inbound wind correction
- -8.3°
- Outbound heading (triple the drift)
- 205°
- Outbound heading to hold the track
- 188°
- Inbound groundspeed
- 109 kt
- Outbound groundspeed
- 129 kt
- Outbound time
- 51 s
Review: Not yet independently reviewed by a flight instructor (CFI).
Last verified: 2026-09-18, 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: 5 golden test vectors (download the test vectors, each with its source and tolerance). See how results are checked and every source.
Sources
- Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-15B, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA-H-8083-15B. Chapter 10 (holding: wind drift correction, triple the inbound drift outbound, and outbound leg timing).
- 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.
- Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA-H-8083-25C. Aircraft Performance and Navigation chapters (pressure and density altitude, wind triangle).
Terms
- AIM: Aeronautical Information Manual
- The FAA's official guide to US flight procedures and air traffic control practice. Source: Aeronautical Information Manual
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