Bob Gardner wrote:
"Now" is fine, providing that you are a good enough multitasker to be on top
of any required turn. However, because timing is one of the requirements of
a holding pattern (adjust outbound to make inbound one minute), "now"
suffers in comparison to "at oh-five past the hour," which should trigger a
stop-watch hack by the pilot. "Now" certainly serves the purpose of letting
the controller clear the next guy.

Do controllers put that time into a computer which assists in
separation? Are we assuming VFR?