Pilot Institute

JUNE 9, 2025

Today we will explain airplane holding patterns in detail, answer some common questions, and even teach you a few ‘hacks’ to make flying a hold a real breeze. A holding procedure is when an airplane flies in a pattern to maintain its geographic location using its onboard navigational instruments. Here’s why airplanes take up the hold.

Airplanes

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

Non-precision approaches (such as a localizer, VOR, LNAV, or NDB) use a Maltese cross for the FAF. Precision approaches (such as ILS) use a jagged arrow to mark the FAF. This is the point where you should intercept the ILS glideslope. At this point you should start descending to the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA).

Approach

Flying Magazine

JULY 1, 2025

READ MORE: How to Stay Ahead of the Airplane That being said, it is highly unlikely that you will still have the skills and proficiency required for solo cross-country flights, so expect to do at least one dual cross-country with a CFI to make sure you remember the procedures. For comparison, there are 149 NDB/ADF approaches in the U.S.

NDB

Air Facts

JULY 23, 2025

Skyway was a small but vibrant commuter airline that operated a fleet of Beech 99 turboprops, Beech 18s, and several single-engine airplanes of various lineage. My duties at Skyway included flying as copilot on the Beech 99 and Beech 18, as well as pilot-in-command on the single-engine airplanes. For me, it was no problem.

NDB

Flying Magazine

MAY 6, 2024

Subscribe Now Featured A) Two Radials Depicted From the STL VOR, there are two radials depicted that intersect with the final approach path—the R-144 and the R-194. Transitioning from the TOY VOR is also a heavy line radial along the R-261 and notes that no procedure turn would be needed (NoPT).

VOR