I wonder what’s the chance the was random. With all the planes that have made holding patterns over the years, I’m sure some look phallic by chance. Or maybe the tower usually makes sure not to accidentally draw that?
Yep. 90 degree turn, 90 degree turn, hold… 90 degree turn, 90 degree turn, hold… Repeat as long as necessary. From day 1 of flight training. It’s also standard when waiting your turn to land, maintaining altitude to keep different planes in their envelopes.
Circles run the risk of losing altitude and/or airspeed.
Simple, you lose energy and get disoriented when changing direction. When flying in a circle, you’re constantly changing direction and at an angle to the ground. So you are consistently being disoriented as well. So you’re constantly on the throttle or have to rethrottle up to gain altitude doesn’t make for constant holding pattern.
I wonder what’s the chance the was random. With all the planes that have made holding patterns over the years, I’m sure some look phallic by chance. Or maybe the tower usually makes sure not to accidentally draw that?
Usually they do a racetrack.
Yep. 90 degree turn, 90 degree turn, hold… 90 degree turn, 90 degree turn, hold… Repeat as long as necessary. From day 1 of flight training. It’s also standard when waiting your turn to land, maintaining altitude to keep different planes in their envelopes.
Circles run the risk of losing altitude and/or airspeed.
Why do you lose altitude or airflow with a circle?
Simple, you lose energy and get disoriented when changing direction. When flying in a circle, you’re constantly changing direction and at an angle to the ground. So you are consistently being disoriented as well. So you’re constantly on the throttle or have to rethrottle up to gain altitude doesn’t make for constant holding pattern.
The NASCAR method.
Yupes.
My flight instructor just called it “a loop”.
Lol