Holds on autopilot?

In real life, do most pilots equipped with autopilots use them to fly
holds (i.e., by using the HDG function of the autopilot, and possibly
altitude holds or autothrottle if available), or do they fly the plane
by hand through the holds?

When you are tested on your ability to fly holds, do you have to fly
them by hand, or can you use the autopilot as above?

Note that I'm not talking about fully automated systems that will fly
the entire hold pattern automatically, I'm talking about just using
heading and altitude controls in the autopilot to simplify the task of
turning and rolling out, turning and rolling out, over and over.

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Mxsmanic wrote:
In real life, do most pilots equipped with autopilots use them to fly
holds (i.e., by using the HDG function of the autopilot, and possibly
altitude holds or autothrottle if available), or do they fly the plane
by hand through the holds?

Holds are the perfect time for the autopilot. Usually, I do them in
HDG mode, but the GNS480 will steer the autopilot around the hold
in GPSS mode (either as a part of a charted approach, or you can
just throw a hold in at any waypoint)


When you are tested on your ability to fly holds, do you have to fly
them by hand, or can you use the autopilot as above?

The examiner expects you to use the autopilot when appropriate. Of
course, they can (and will) make you hand fly any part of the test
that they need to evaluate fully.


Note that I'm not talking about fully automated systems that will fly
the entire hold pattern automatically, I'm talking about just using
heading and altitude controls in the autopilot to simplify the task of
turning and rolling out, turning and rolling out, over and over.


It's not a feature of the autopilot in my plane. It's the GPS.
The autopilot just does what the GPS tells it.

Ron Natalie writes:

Holds are the perfect time for the autopilot. Usually, I do them in
HDG mode, but the GNS480 will steer the autopilot around the hold
in GPSS mode (either as a part of a charted approach, or you can
just throw a hold in at any waypoint)

How do you do it with the GNS480? Is it possible with a GNS530? I've
looked in the manual but I don't see anything that explains how to do
it.

The examiner expects you to use the autopilot when appropriate. Of
course, they can (and will) make you hand fly any part of the test
that they need to evaluate fully.

Hmm, okay. Not that I'll be taking an exam any time soon, but I was
curious.

It's not a feature of the autopilot in my plane. It's the GPS.
The autopilot just does what the GPS tells it.

If there's a way to get a GNS430 or GNS530 to do it, I'd like to know
how.

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In article ,
Mxsmanic wrote:

How do you do it with the GNS480? Is it possible with a GNS530? I've
looked in the manual but I don't see anything that explains how to do
it.

Garmin did not design the GNS480, so none of the Garmin designs
incorporate that feature.

john smith writes:

Garmin did not design the GNS480, so none of the Garmin designs
incorporate that feature.

And yet they sell it? What's the story behind that? I thought Garmin
designed all their stuff (even if they have it manufactured in
Taiwan).

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"I've read that holds have become very rare since ATC adopted the
policy of spacing flights from their departure points rather than en
route. "

You want to come and visit Heathrow some time - there are four holds,
and they get used.

Mxsmanic wrote:
john smith writes:

Garmin did not design the GNS480, so none of the Garmin designs
incorporate that feature.

And yet they sell it? What's the story behind that? I thought Garmin
designed all their stuff (even if they have it manufactured in
Taiwan).

Garmin bought UPSAT (formerly known as Apollo) after UPSAT
designed the 480 (which UPSAT called the CNX80) and the MX20
(which has evolved into the GMX200) and the SL-30 and SL-40
NAV/COM and COM. All of which (with the exception of the
original MX20) are still Garmin products.

In article ,
Mxsmanic wrote:

john smith writes:

Garmin did not design the GNS480, so none of the Garmin designs
incorporate that feature.

And yet they sell it? What's the story behind that? I thought Garmin
designed all their stuff (even if they have it manufactured in
Taiwan).

Garmin bought Apollo Avionics from UPS a few years back. If I remember
correctly the 480 was originally an Apollo product.

Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Natalie writes:

Holds are the perfect time for the autopilot. Usually, I do them in
HDG mode, but the GNS480 will steer the autopilot around the hold
in GPSS mode (either as a part of a charted approach, or you can
just throw a hold in at any waypoint)

How do you do it with the GNS480? Is it possible with a GNS530? I've
looked in the manual but I don't see anything that explains how to do
it.

If you are in an approach, it will fly the hold once automatically. If
you press SUSP in the hold, it will fly around the hold indefinitely.

Otherwise, you can press DIRECT and then HOLD and it prompts you for
the course and leg length.

I don't know what the traditional Garmin stuff is capable of.

Mxsmanic wrote:
In real life, do most pilots equipped with autopilots use them to fly
holds (i.e., by using the HDG function of the autopilot, and possibly
altitude holds or autothrottle if available), or do they fly the plane
by hand through the holds?

Even in the very advanced G1000 aircraft the autopilot doesn't fly the
hold. However you can manually set the heading and drive it around the
hold. The GNS 480 will drive the hold and is awesome but its just a
box, not an integrated system like the G1000.
The best thing about any IFR GPS system (430,480,530,G1000) is that it
gives you the entry procedure. That's 95% of the complexity of the
hold, fingering out the entry.

When you are tested on your ability to fly holds, do you have to fly
them by hand, or can you use the autopilot as above?

Usually when you are being tested on holding you are being tested on
two things...
1) Using a correct entry procedure (or at least staying on the safe
side) and
2) Timing the hold to arrive back at the holding fix right at the EFC
time. A hold can be 4,3 or 2 minutes so you mix them up to make the
time come out right.
Just the flying around in circles part isn't anything difficult itself.

Note that I'm not talking about fully automated systems that will fly
the entire hold pattern automatically, I'm talking about just using
heading and altitude controls in the autopilot to simplify the task of
turning and rolling out, turning and rolling out, over and over.

Usually you do use the autopilot, because the hold is usually when you
are briefing the approach. Pre-approach is the busiest time because you
need to study the approach.

In real life holding is about as common as being hit by lightening.
Even when you do get a hold its usually just a vectored hold, not a
formal procedures. The only time you really get to fly holds is to
remote airports without ATC when the approach procedure requires a hold
for the procedure turn.

-Robert