On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 03:41:58 GMT, "John R. Copeland"
wrote:


"Nathan Young" wrote in message ...
On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 19:35:03 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

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?

As an IFR student, I was told that it is so controllers can easily
pick out planes in a hold vs planes in the pattern. It sounded good
at the time, but in retrospect, I question the statement:

1. Holds are pretty uncommon. Holds when VFR conditions exist at the
surface (to allow pattern work) seem even less likely.

2. Is a controller really going to use relative motion to pick
targets? It seems to me it would be easier to just look at their
squawk code or altitude.

How about: "3. Right-Hand Holds predated Radar by decades!"

Excellent point!