Approaching the fix on current heading — which entry do you fly?
🔥 0
Lvl 1
0 XP
TRAINING MODE
✓CORRECT+10 XP
⌖ TOP-DOWN VIEW
SECTOR ANALYSIS
ENTRY SECTORS
CFII MATERIAL
10/10
Flawless Victory
0s
AVG TIME
+0
XP EARNED
0
BEST STREAK
🏆 Achievements
Earn badges as you master holding entries.
📖 Holding Entry Cheat Sheet
The 70/110/180 rule — visualized.
Sectors per FAA AIM 5-3-8. Look up the radial you're on (= heading + 180°) relative to the inbound course. Inbound arrow points toward the fix.
PARALLEL — radials 0° to 110° CW of inbound (110° wedge). Cross fix, turn opposite-of-hold to outbound heading on non-holding side, fly 1 min, then 180°+ turn back through inbound course.
DIRECT — radials 110° to 290° CW of inbound (180° wedge). Cross fix and simply turn to follow the holding pattern.
TEARDROP — radials 290° to 360° CW of inbound (70° wedge). Cross fix, fly outbound at 30° offset toward holding side for 1 min, then turn in hold direction to intercept inbound.
Non-standard (left-turn) holds: mirror everything across the inbound course line.
⚙ Settings
Customize your training experience.
Sound effects
Audio feedback on answers and milestones
Include left-turn holds
Non-standard turn direction (harder)
Edge cases
Include scenarios near sector boundaries
ℹ About HoldTrainer
Free IFR holding pattern entry practice
HoldTrainer is a free, browser-based practice tool for instrument students and rated pilots
who want to drill holding pattern entries until they're automatic. Per
FAA AIM 5-3-8,
there are three recommended entry types: direct, parallel,
and teardrop. Picking the right one in real time — while reading back a
clearance and flying the aircraft — is what separates a smooth IFR pilot from a workload-saturated one.
The Three Entry Types
DIRECT Fly to the fix and turn in the holding direction. Used when your approach radial is 110°–290° clockwise of the inbound course (right-turn holds).
PARALLEL Fly to the fix, turn parallel to the inbound course on the non-holding side, then turn back in. Used when the radial is 0°–110° CW.
TEARDROP Fly to the fix, turn 30° into the holding side, then back to the inbound course. Used when the radial is 290°–360° CW.
Modes
Training — unlimited scenarios at your own pace with full reveal and explanation after each answer.
Checkride — 10 timed scenarios, 20 seconds each, with a final grade. Mirrors the pressure of a real instrument checkride.
Who it's for
IFR students preparing for the instrument rating checkride, recently rated
pilots staying current, and CFIs who want a quick drill tool for their students. No signup,
no tracking, no ads. Stats stay on your device. Built by a pilot, for pilots.
Practice tool only — not a flight planning service or substitute for proper instruction.
Always train with a qualified CFII. Not for navigational use.
We use Google Analytics to count visits and understand which features people use.
No accounts, no ads, no personal data. Opt out by appending ?notrack=1 to any URL.