VFR hold = left as pilot usually sits on left side and has better view
though
IFR hold = right 1) to better separate from VFR hold 2) no actual need to
look out, esp. in IMC

regards

Herbert
PPL ASEL
IFR student
ardent Cessna lover (172+182)

"Walter Ellison" wrote in message
link.net...
Nobody ever mentioned a twin engine aircraft, so this is my guess. In a
twin, where both engines turn in the same direction, there is a slight
asymmetry to the thrust vector, I believe, slightly to the right side of
the
airplane. If you were in a turn, at low speed, and you lost and engine,
you
would rather be turning into the engine with the power than away from it.
But since you don't know which engine is going to fail, you would rather
turn into the thrust vector than away from it. That's my theory.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
It has always struck me odd that a standard landing pattern is left
turns and a standard hold is right turns. Having a left patterns for
landing makes a bit of sense, since the pilot is on the left side of the
cockpit and has a better view of the runway making left turns.

But, for IFR holds, there doesn't seem to be any advantage to one way or
the other. Why did they pick right turns to be standard?