Practice IFR hold entries.
Holding Pattern Trainer is a drill for pilots learning IFR hold entries. Read the clearance, check your heading when you reach the fix, and pick the entry: direct, teardrop or parallel. Then see the correct entry flown on a plan view of the hold.
The entry drill
- Rounds of 10 questions. Each gives a fix name, an inbound course (or a clearance given as a radial, a course or a compass direction), standard right turns or non-standard left turns, and your heading at the fix.
- A heading indicator drawn with the 70 degree line and the direct, teardrop and parallel sectors, with a switch that hides the sectors so you can test yourself.
- After each answer, the path flown on a plan view with the turn-by-turn steps, and the path of the entry you picked if it was wrong.
- Streaks, a best streak and a results screen that lists the entries you missed.
- A reference card for the three entries, reading a clearance, one-minute legs (one and a half minutes above 14,000 ft MSL), turn rates and maximum holding airspeeds.
- Light, dark and system theme.
Holding Pattern Trainer Pro, one optional purchase
- Wind practice: a wind from a direction and speed, the drift drawn on the plan view, and the inbound and outbound headings that hold the course.
- Timed outbound leg: in a wind, pick the outbound time that brings the inbound leg to one minute (one and a half above 14,000 ft MSL).
- A 20-question exam that shows how long you took when you finish (no countdown, no time limit), then a review of the entries you missed, also after any round.
- Accuracy by entry, which entry you mix up with which, and the history of your last 100 rounds.
No subscription. The entry drill, streaks and the reference card keep working without Pro.
Works offline
Every drill works without a connection. Your results and settings stay on your phone. There is no account and no analytics. The app uses the network only for Google Play and RevenueCat (the Pro price, buying Pro and restoring a purchase), Google’s rating dialog and links you choose.
A training aid
Holding Pattern Trainer is a training and reference aid. It does not replace flight instruction, approved procedures, charts or ATC instructions, and it is not for navigation or flight planning. The entries follow the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, paragraph 5-3-8, and the Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15B), chapter 10. The wind and timing exercises use a simple model of still-air turns and a steady wind. This app is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA.
Holding Pattern Trainer is available on Google Play.