Plain English Meaning
A holding pattern shown on an approach chart that the pilot flies instead of doing the usual back-and-forth procedure turn. It gives the aircraft room to slow down, descend, and turn around so it can roll out lined up with the final approach course.
Full Definition
A charted holding pattern used in place of a procedure turn on an instrument approach to allow the aircraft to lose altitude, reverse course, and become established inbound on the final approach course. It is flown like a standard holding pattern but serves the course-reversal function of a procedure turn, and is mandatory when depicted unless the aircraft is cleared straight-in, is being radar vectored to final, or is conducting a timed approach.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts, usually near an initial approach fix where the procedure needs a course reversal before continuing inbound.
Derivation
The phrase 'in lieu of' is from the French 'lieu' meaning 'place,' so 'hold-in-lieu-of procedure turn' literally means 'a hold used in the place of a procedure turn.' Knowing this makes the function obvious: it replaces the procedure turn while doing the same job.
Why Pilots Care
It gives a safe, standardized way to lose altitude and align with the approach course when a procedure turn is not authorized or not shown on the chart.
Grounding Statement
Picture arriving at the approach from the wrong direction: the HILPT gives you a published racetrack path to turn around and come back lined up correctly.
Intuition Check
Do not read HILPT as just a place to wait. In this context, the holding pattern is part of the approach path and is used instead of a procedure turn.
Example Sentence 1
Because they were arriving from the north and not on a straight-in course, the crew flew one turn in the HILPT to lose altitude and get established inbound.
Example Sentence 2
Instead of a procedure turn the chart showed a HILPT at the fix.