Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Holding Procedures Lesson Plan

Instrument Rating (Helicopter) • ACS Area III, Task B

The Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Holding Procedures Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and flight skills required by FAA-S-ACS-14.

Introduction

  • Attention Getter: Present an IFR helicopter operation in which small errors, changing weather, automation, or workload can rapidly erode terrain, obstacle, power, or control margins.
  • Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with holding procedures solely by reference to instruments.

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Materials

  • FAA-S-ACS-14.
  • Model-specific Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved checklist, IFR supplements, and installed-equipment guides.
  • Task references: 14 CFR part 91; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25

Instructor Actions

  • Teach the task progressively in realistic helicopter IFR context and preserve aircraft control, obstacle clearance, power margin, and workload capacity.
  • Teach and assess the following knowledge elements:
    • Elements related to holding procedures, including reporting criteria, appropriate speeds, and recommended entry procedures for standard, nonstandard, published, and non-published holding patterns. (IH.III.B.K1)
  • Use realistic helicopter IFR scenarios to teach and assess the following risk-management elements:
    • Recalculating fuel reserves if assigned an unanticipated expect further clearance (EFC) time. (IH.III.B.R1)
    • Scenarios and circumstances that could result in minimum fuel or the need to declare an emergency. (IH.III.B.R2)
    • Scenarios that could lead to holding, including deteriorating weather at the planned destination. (IH.III.B.R3)
    • Holding entry and wind correction while holding. (IH.III.B.R4)
  • Demonstrate, coach, and assess the following skills:
    • Use an entry procedure appropriate for a standard, nonstandard, published, or non-published holding pattern. (IH.III.B.S1)
    • Change to the holding airspeed appropriate for the altitude when 3 minutes or less from, but prior to arriving at, the holding fix and set appropriate power as needed for fuel conservation. (IH.III.B.S2)
    • Recognize arrival at the holding fix and promptly initiate entry into the holding pattern. (IH.III.B.S3)
    • Maintain airspeed ±10 knots, altitude ±100 feet, selected headings within ±10°, and track a selected course, radial, or bearing within ¾-scale deflection of the course deviation indicator (CDI). (IH.III.B.S4)
    • Comply with the holding pattern leg length and other restrictions, if applicable, associated with the holding pattern. (IH.III.B.S5)
    • Use proper wind correction procedures to maintain the desired pattern and to arrive over the fix as close as possible to a specified time. (IH.III.B.S6)
    • Use a multi-function display (MFD) and other graphical navigation displays, if installed, to monitor position in relation to the desired flightpath during holding. (IH.III.B.S7)
    • Comply with ATC reporting requirements and restrictions associated with the holding pattern. (IH.III.B.S8)
    • Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate. (IH.III.B.S9)
  • Syllabus Objective Coverage:
    • Explain elements related to holding procedures, including reporting criteria, appropriate speeds, and recommended entry procedures for standard, nonstandard, published, and non-published holding patterns.
    • Assess and manage recalculating fuel reserves if assigned an unanticipated expect further clearance (EFC) time.
    • Assess and manage scenarios and circumstances that could result in minimum fuel or the need to declare an emergency.
    • Assess and manage scenarios that could lead to holding, including deteriorating weather at the planned destination.
    • Assess and manage holding entry and wind correction while holding.
    • Use an entry procedure appropriate for a standard, nonstandard, published, or non-published holding pattern.
    • Reduce to the holding airspeed appropriate for the altitude when three minutes or less from the holding fix, and set power as needed for fuel conservation.
    • Recognize arrival at the holding fix and promptly initiate entry into the holding pattern.
    • Maintain airspeed ±10 knots, altitude ±100 feet, selected headings within ±10°, and track a selected course, radial, or bearing within ¾-scale deflection of the course deviation indicator (CDI).
    • Comply with the holding pattern leg length and other restrictions, if applicable, associated with the holding pattern.
    • Use proper wind correction procedures to maintain the desired pattern and to arrive over the fix as close as possible to a specified time.
    • Use a multi-function display (MFD) and other graphical navigation displays, if installed, to monitor position in relation to the desired flightpath during holding.
    • Comply with ATC reporting requirements and restrictions associated with the holding pattern.
    • Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.
  • Use the current RFM, checklist, limitations, charts, procedures, and ATC information; document deficiencies and retraining.

Guided Scenario(s)

  • Use an IFR helicopter flight involving changing weather, terrain or obstacles, route constraints, automation, and external pressure.
  • Introduce a meaningful change in clearance, equipment status, weather, landing area, fuel, power margin, or workload and require a revised decision.
  • Require a self-critique tied to every applicable ACS element and helicopter limitation.

Student Actions

  • Complete assigned study and review the RFM, checklist, charts, and procedures.
  • Explain each knowledge element in operational context.
  • Identify, assess, and mitigate each applicable risk.
  • Demonstrate each applicable skill within FAA-S-ACS-14 standards and helicopter limitations.
  • Make and defend appropriate continue, delay, divert, missed-approach, or discontinue decisions.
Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Holding Procedures Lesson Plan

Airman Certification Standards

Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Holding Procedures Airman Certification Standards

  • Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with holding procedures solely by reference to instruments.
  • References: 14 CFR part 91; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25
Knowledge 1 ACS Element
  • IH.III.B.K1:
    Elements related to holding procedures, including reporting criteria, appropriate speeds, and recommended entry procedures for standard, nonstandard, published, and non-published holding patterns.
Risk Management 4 ACS Elements
  • IH.III.B.R1:
    Recalculating fuel reserves if assigned an unanticipated expect further clearance (EFC) time.
  • IH.III.B.R2:
    Scenarios and circumstances that could result in minimum fuel or the need to declare an emergency.
  • IH.III.B.R3:
    Scenarios that could lead to holding, including deteriorating weather at the planned destination.
  • IH.III.B.R4:
    Holding entry and wind correction while holding.
Skills 9 ACS Elements
  • IH.III.B.S1:
    Use an entry procedure appropriate for a standard, nonstandard, published, or non-published holding pattern.
  • IH.III.B.S2:
    Change to the holding airspeed appropriate for the altitude when 3 minutes or less from, but prior to arriving at, the holding fix and set appropriate power as needed for fuel conservation.
  • IH.III.B.S3:
    Recognize arrival at the holding fix and promptly initiate entry into the holding pattern.
  • IH.III.B.S4:
    Maintain airspeed ±10 knots, altitude ±100 feet, selected headings within ±10°, and track a selected course, radial, or bearing within ¾-scale deflection of the course deviation indicator (CDI).
  • IH.III.B.S5:
    Comply with the holding pattern leg length and other restrictions, if applicable, associated with the holding pattern.
  • IH.III.B.S6:
    Use proper wind correction procedures to maintain the desired pattern and to arrive over the fix as close as possible to a specified time.
  • IH.III.B.S7:
    Use a multi-function display (MFD) and other graphical navigation displays, if installed, to monitor position in relation to the desired flightpath during holding.
  • IH.III.B.S8:
    Comply with ATC reporting requirements and restrictions associated with the holding pattern.
  • IH.III.B.S9:
    Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.

Conclusion

  • Review the objective, risks, performance strengths, and retraining needs.
  • Record progress and assign the next applicable lesson.