flying a holding with crosswind

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: Him
I want to learn and practice flying a holding pattern with crosswind.
I assume that in a FMS equiped airplane these holdings are always flown in LNAV mode, with the hold entered in the CDU holding page and the ND in map mode.
For this training going to use a VOR station as a holding fix
Direct entry
360 degrees inbound course, 180 degrees outbound on the holding side, 1 minute legs, right turns ,altitude 8000 feet and 180 kts.
I want to try different wind headings and speeds .

First want to fly it with LNAV , hold entered in the cdu and ND in map mode,
The right ND in expanded VOR mode and the VOR tuned in on the NAVRAD  page with course set at 360 .
This way I can watch both the racetrack and the VOR deviation needle.
Next will be only 1 ND set to expanded VOR mode and using Heading select, the last step will be manual flight.

Since I never had any flying lessons the only (minor) knowledge I have is from reading and looking at any document or clip I can get my hands on and years of flight simming.
The internet is a great source of information , but not always the correct information, so I would be pleased if someone could correct the faults I make, and adding some tips would also be great.
Also want to calculate the wind correction out of my head, and not sitting with a calculator on my lap.

Here is what I  think I know and assume is correct
Below 14000 feet max holding speed 230 kts and 1 minute legs.
Between 14000 and 20000 feet, max holding speed 240 kts and 1.5 minute legs.
Above 20000 feet  max speed 265 kts and 1.5 minute legs
Holdings are flown at a standard rate turn or for faster jets a 25 degree bank angle.
Wind Correction Angle is applied 1 time towards the holding fix and 3 times on the holding side.

Rule of thumb to get the bank angle at a standard rate turn is TAS/10 +7
In this case 180 kts would give a bank angle of 25°

If for example the wind is 040@30 kts and the inbound course is 360 the WA is 40°
To get the crosswind component  I need the sine of this WA
This I get  by dropping a 0 add 2 and add a decimal
40 = 4+2=6=0.6
Crosswind component = 0.6*30= 18 kts

Rule of thumb to get the WCA , for each 60 kts of TAS divide  crosswind component by 1
120 would be 2
180 would be 3 etc.
So 18 /3 would give 6° wind correction on the inbound leg and 18° on the outbound leg

The H/T wind component is the cosine of the WA, or the sine of the wind angle - 90°
90-40=50=5+2=7=0.7*30= 21 kts headwind on the inbound leg and 21kts tailwind on the outbound leg.
When entering the hold and for the first time flying the outbound leg this 1 minute would need to be 60 sec. - 21 sec. = 39 sec.  To get the 1 minute inbound leg.

It looks difficult, but you can get a ball park figure in 10 seconds,
Now all this looks nice  , but is it also correct?

Applying this rule does not give a racetrack pattern anymore, but a pear shaped one.

The LNAV mode always gives a racetrack, using a variable bank angle.
Is the width of this pattern specified?
When using auto on the bank angle selector in heading select mode, what's the bank angle used?
Is it speed depended? Is it depending on the amount of heading change?

The  heading select mode with a fixed bank angle can get you on the outbound track before the displayed racetrack and on the inbound course you go outside  this boundary

It is my assumption that the holding space is protected space and one should  stay in it when assigned to, is there any width specified?
Because when flying at 265 kts the bank angle would be 33.5° for a standard rate turn and that is not done.
Banking 25° at this speed would give a much larger turn radius and isn't this  a problem?

edit: just tried it in LNAV and with winds 055 at 33 IAS 180 TAS 208 got 70 sec. on the inbound leg and 55 sec. on the outbound leg.
timed from the moment wings level or over the VOR.
WCA inbound 6 degrees; heading 006, outbound however  heading 170 degrees, 10 degrees correction instead of 18.
there is something wrong with my calculations or the method I use.
thanks for any help given!
ivo

[Magoo]

My goodness, you've turned Holdings into a science!