How to Fly a VOR Hold Procedure | FlightInsight | IFR

VOR holding procedures are one of the most challenging things you'll face on your checkride. To make matters worse, we hardly get to practice them anymore with fewer stations and equipped aircraft out there.

What makes this maneuver so tricky is the number of tasks going on in a short amount of time. If you stay methodical and do one thing at a time though, it suddenly becomes easier.

We'll start by breaking down the different parts of the holding procedure on the whiteboard, then look at how the VOR receiver is used to fly the hold. Finally, we'll jump in the simulator and actually fly this hold together.

Here's the approach plate with the hold we'll be using at Carroll Country Airport (KDMW)

[zuhayarshehzad]

Some people are just born for teaching and this guy is one of them.

[abrahamnemani]

This by far the best HOLD video I have seen so far that includes all aspects/steps in order to understand and execute one. Thank you so much.

[danielstr]

i watched this when i was half asleep last night and did 2 holds today and my instructor wanted to know how I knew everything already. Thank you so much for making it so simple

[ronandersen]

I really struggled understanding VOR, but you spoke my language!! It’s not as difficult as I was making it! Thank you !!!

[chrisjavier]

As an instructor, having gone through countless videos myself when I first learned these, this is hands down THE SINGLE BEST VIDEO ON HOLDS THAT EXISTS

Thank you so much for this, this will greatly help so many people

[thedownwardmachine]

I feel really privileged that these excellent videos are coming out just as I’m learning about this. I’m really amazed how much sense this makes.

[TiroDinotshe]

Great video. One thing that is worth mentioning is 90, 60 and 45 degrees checks on the inbound turn. This can help adjust your angle of bank so that you don’t overshoot or undershoot

[flogsbymm]

Thank you so much!!!! Please keep these videos coming. You don’t know how much of an impact you are to the aviation community

[johnpilot]

Your explanations are crystal-clear and you combine theory and practice in a repetitive way to make tricky problems easier. Thank you for your patience and skills as an instructor.

[delanocain]

I’m in checkride prep for my IFR right now and of the sum 20 VOR Holding videos I’ve watched, this is the only one that has made sense! Thank you for showing it in the simulator, too!

[kmv]

THIS is the best explanation I've seen. Finally I clicked on the procedure, just never saw it laid out like this!

[SoyDelSouth]

I like the illustrations shown before practicing in the sim. Very helpful, thank you

[kbalch]

Another great video. I've been a CFI for 24 years, but have found myself watching your videos of late for their excellent presentation. It's never too late to learn something new.  

The only thing I'd add to this video is the necessity to vary the outbound timing in order to adjust the inbound leg as close as possible to one minute (or whatever non-standard time or distance has been specified). You've only got them timing the outbound leg and simply accepting the resultant inbound leg without proactively trying to refine it with each trip around the hold. Other than that, well done!

[gregagee]

The graphics and simulator work was so helpful in understanding the process!! Rock on!!

[shelleykavlick]

Great video to simplify VOR entry/hold procedures step-by-step. Much appreciated Dan!

[jgnderitu]

Bravo! Very good explanation and illustration. I am starting my instrument training in Jan 2024 and I have been practising on flight sim. This will be next exercise

[aviatortrucker]

You do a great job with your videos, and I don’t want to confuse people. I just want to state that I have learned a different method which is easier for me because it keeps me ahead of the airplane. When I’m supposed to hold on the 178 radial, I dial the 178 radial on my OBS I get a FROM indication. This is based on the example that you approached from the south west. Doing it this way it creates two memory aids. The first, the CDI will be deflected to the left, which is the same location where the VOR is. As I’m approaching the station. Using the memory aid with a FROM indication “If the needle at the station are on the same side, you’re not there yet.” As I pass the station and the flag flips, I start my left turn and I track outbound 178. When I’m a beam the flag, flips from To to FROM. I now time for one minute. After that, I turn inbound heading 358 and fly away from the needle. Some people call this reverse, sensing I just call it reverse orientation. Kind of the same way if you fly a model plane or drone and it is flying toward you and you wanted to go left but it appears to go to the right because you are facing opposite direction of its orientation. I am one of those pilots who fly this way because there’s less OBS flipping and you get to remember what radial you’re supposed to hold on. With an HSI it does this for you and you need only to set the course needle to the hold radial. One more thing. Doing it this way keep your CDI to the left on the outbound leg reminding you of the turn direction and the proper side of the hold or protected side.

[matacaninas]

2021 still the best video explaining the whole procedure so far. Like.

[ij]

This is the BEST channel about IFR training. Thank you so much! 🤝

[thomaswells]

Really helpful video, thanks!

Only question, I noticed at 4:02 you mention "outbound turn... setting 358", but then you flip it to ~302degs. Was that unintentional? You did that during both the drawing hold iterations, but in the simulator you didn't, you flipped it to actual 358degs.