David Megginson writes:

(K. Ari Krupnikov) writes:

While it doesn't make a bit of a difference from 150 miles out, if you
reach the clearance limit and have no communication with ATC, and
reach it before your ETA, where are you going to hold? Over one of the
runway thresholds?

The IAF for your approach, I guess.

Which one? You were never cleared for an approach, you didn't hear
"expect". There may be multiple published approaches with different
IAFs.

In real life, do controllers really want a 7600 holding for 15
minutes because it's ahead of its ETA, or do they just want it
safely on the ground as soon as possible so that it stops messing up
their airspace?

How would they know what that "as soon as possible" happens? Will they
effectively close the airport waiting for you to arrive? There might
be traffic waiting to get in or out, and nobody wants 7600's flying
into any of those. Would you hold all departures and divert all
arrivals waiting for the 7600 to make her approach "as soon as
possible"?

Ari.